Forbidden Love A Tristan and Bianca Story
by BewilderedFemale
Summary: Tristan, son of Lady Guinevere and Centurion Bochra. Bianca, daughter of Senator Letant and Bea. The two have been meeting and talking secretly since they first met when they were children in Rateg, but now as adults, Letant insists that his daughter remain unmarried while Tristan is being obligated to marry and produce an heir; what will they do? Co-written by Lorna Winters
1. Chapter 1

******Co-Author's Note***

**This story is a collaboration between myself and Lorna Winters featuring Tristan and Bianca.**

**I just want to say that I have been a long time admirer of Lorna Winter's writing, so words cannot even begin to express how honored I am to be doing a joint story with her once again.**

**If you, like I, keep up with her series, you'll know that Romulan Centurion Bochra fell madly in love with Guinevere; a strong and very powerful human woman from the planet Nua Breizh. Together they have a child named Tristan and he is one of the main characters of this story.**

**With Lorna Winter's permission, I did some experimenting with Tristan and an OC character of mine named Bianca in one of my stories (Koval Gets Comforted). Bianca is the only daughter of Letant and Bea.**  
**Lorna and I both agree that they had tremendous chemistry in that story and thus this story has come to be.**

**We hope you enjoy reading along as much as we enjoy writing it! **

* * *

Tristan and Bianca were sitting on a swinging bench situated around various rose bushes, overlooking the Rateg botanical garden's lake.

Bianca was 6 and Tristan was 8, so while the adults celebrated the union of Chairman Koval and his new human bride, Comfort; Tristan and Bianca wasted no time in taking advantage of the adult's distracted state to play tag until they literally couldn't move anymore.  
Bianca's once beautiful white gown was now smeared with grass stains, her braided hair had come undone and her long wavy tresses were studded with leaves and twigs that Tristan had playfully thrown without her noticing.

Tristan wasn't faring any better either. His expensive robes were also bearing grass stains and his hair was sprinkled with yellow flower petals that Bianca had thrown on him when he wasn't looking.

"I'm hungry!" Tristan whined.

"Boo hoo, tell one of your servants to fix us a plate princey boy!" Bianca teased.

"I am too a Prince! Didn't you see all the guards who were escorting me today?"

Bianca raised a brow. "Where are they now?"

Tristan looked at her for a few moments and tried to think of an answer, not even imagining that the guards who were supposed to be protecting him were gathered around the Kali fal fountain and checking out the human females who had come from Earth specifically for the wedding.

"They're... They're.. I told them to go away! They do whatever I say!" He yelled and folded his arms in front of him as he sulked.

"Uh huuuh" She said as she rolled her eyes. "Well; I'm hungry too, so let's get back before my mom eats everything." Bianca said as she jumped off the bench.

"Wait!" He said as he jumped after her and held her in place. "Let's wait a little while." He pleaded.

"Why?"

"Because..." He thought frantically for a reason she'd buy. "Whoever stays without eating the longest proves they have more Romulan strength in them!"

She looked at his green eyes for a moment and almost immediately pulled away from him.

"That's a dumb reason; I'm leaving."

"No! Stay here!" He again tried to hold her in place but she pushed him back with a playful smirk, already taking a stance to run away from him.

"No! Time out! I'm not playing!" He said seriously, and she stopped.

"I don't wanna leave; back home I never get to play games like this. They do different stuff; I have to be different when I'm home, plus you have brothers to play with while I'm an only child. You… You're actually the only one I can be myself around." He finally admitted sadly.

"But we can't stay here, it's already getting dark; look!" Bianca said pointing at the sky.

"You afraid?" He challenged with a gleam in his eye.

"I aint afraid of nothing." She replied proudly as she crossed her arms.

"Not even of a... HAIRY RATEGLIAN SPIDER!" He screamed and jumped, waving his hands and ruffling her hair up even more.

She screamed in turn and began ruffling up his hair too, only to fall on the grass laughing at how silly he looked, he pushed himself on her and they rolled around in the grass as they laughed.

"BIANCA!"

They both gasped and looked up. "That's my dad calling!" Bianca whispered.  
Tristran groaned in reply. "I get the feeling your dad doesn't like me."

"That's silly, my dad likes everyone." Bianca replied as she tried to smooth her frizzy and messy hair.

"Everyone except me, he's jealous because I'm a Prince." He said as he stuck his chin up proudly.

Bianca wasn't sure why, but his response made her laugh loudly, Tristan soon joined after, but before they could do anything else, Letant appeared out of the bushes looking very angry.

"Young lady! We have been worried sick wondering where you've..." His eyes grew wide and he gasped loudly when he beheld how messy his daughter looked.  
He immediately picked her up and stared angrily at Tristan as if he were to blame for everything.

"I should have known you had something to do with it! I do not wish to see you near my daughter for the remainder of the night."  
He then stormed off with Bianca leaving Tristan to watch her sad face as she waved goodbye to him.

_15 years later..._

"We're going to the movies tonight, you wanna come?" Lentak and Bretant asked Bianca.

Even though the three of them were triplets, only Lentak and Bretant looked identical in appearance. It was the same in terms of personality, they appeared studious and hard working, but they could be the worst pair of trouble makers in Rateg when they wanted to be, even more so when they joined forces with their fat Ferengi friend that they'd known since childhood.  
Bianca was more reserved, and focused her intelligence on advancing her career as opposed to pulling pranks.

"Is the Ferengi going?" She asked without looking up from her PADD.

"Of course he..." Letank shoved Bretant roughly and shook his head.

"I mean; Of course he isn't, it'll only be us three."

"Uh huh." Bianca replied. "I can't make it anyway; I promised Aunt Comfort and Uncle Koval that I'd meet up with them so you guys have a good tim... hey! Give that back!" She cried when Bretant had taken away her PADD.

"Who are you writing to Sis? Hmmm... Tristan? You're writing to Tristan?! Wait till dad finds out; he's totally going to have a cow!"

"We're too old for this you guys." Bianca said angrily at Bretant before pulling her PADD forcefully out of his grasp.

"I'll say, too old for childhood crushes! The guy hasn't seen you in fifteen years, give it up already! You've turned down so many good guys who live right here in Rateg."

"First of all, things aren't like that between us, and secondly; the reason why I don't date is only because dad threatens them all and scares them away!" She shot back.

"Mmmhmmm..." Lentak smirked and mimicked his sister: "Oh Tristan, my best friend, kiss me you fool!"  
Letak and Bretant held each other and puckered their lips as they mocked their sister.

"You guys are so immature!" She yelled angrily as she walked away from them.

She locked herself in one of the guest rooms and looked down at her message, the one she was supposed to have sent yesterday to Tristan with regards to meeting up. Her brothers assumed it had been fifteen years since they'd seen each other but it had actually only been less than a year, and they had seen each other several times before that where Tristan would travel secretly from Nua Breiz to see her. Now he was requesting to see her again with some important news he had to tell her face to face, and she had an unsettling feeling that she didn't like what he was going to say.

* * *

"Is something wrong, honey child?" Aunt Comfort's teal eyes peered at Bianca, full of concern.

"What?"

"You seem out of sorts," Uncle Koval observed. "Did you not enjoy the concert?" They were on the way to dropping their niece off after their outing.

Bianca snapped back to reality. "Of course I liked it, Uncle. I appreciate that you brought me. I had a wonderful time, thank you."

"You know we'll jump on any chance to get a little break from our darlin' ankle biters," Aunt Comfort laughed, "I declare, I don't know how your mama handles all them kids! We can barely handle our three."

The conversation then turned back to the concert, and Comfort and Koval soon forgot Bianca's earlier strange behavior.

When they were almost home, Bianca half considered whether or not to confide her concerns to her aunt and uncle. If anyone would understand, they would. Her parents, as loving and caring as they were, would never sympathize with her dilemma. Especially not her father.

In the end, she decided against it. The risk that they would tell her parents was too great. Bianca decided to keep her own counsel.

_A week later._..

After everyone in the household had gone to sleep, Bianca carefully slipped down the tree outside her bedroom window. Though it had been an entire year since she had last sneaked out, she remembered her well laid-out route perfectly. She had sent her reply, in which she agreed to meet with Tristan, and she was off to their usual meeting place in the botanical gardens.

It was midsummer in Rateg. The fragrance of moonflowers was drifting on the warm, soft breeze. Just like the night of the triple wedding, so many years previously. Both Bianca's heart and mind were racing.

_What could possibly be going on? _she wondered. There was an urgency about his message that didn't sit well with her. His letters were usually calm and pleasant. Yet this latest message had had a tone of near panic, at least for him.

She had since learned that Tristan was indeed a prince as he claimed. He was the son of the former regent of an old Earth colony called Nua Breizh. His branch of the royal family had to all intents and purposes been dethroned because his mother had chosen to marry his father, a common Romulan soldier, instead of her cousin, Henri Loiola.

Nevertheless, Tristan was still brought up, and expected to behave, as a prince. He, like Bianca, was a well-educated and accomplished individual. Being their only child, his parents had high expectations of him. Though he got along with his cousins for the most part, they always acted like they were above him. And of course, being half-Romulan on a planet full of humans, he sometimes felt like an outsider. His heart was divided between the two worlds. In short, he felt trapped.

Bianca sighed. She knew exactly how he felt. Her father was a wealthy and influential man, and therefore she didn't have to suffer the prejudice of others because she was half-human. She was following Letant's footsteps in the field of politics. One day, she would take her father's place as a political servant of the Romulan people. But her heart was also divided between being human and being Romulan.

So it could come as no surprise that the two became fast friends. They were the only ones who could possibly comprehend what it was like to be a child of two worlds. Sure, Bianca had her six brothers, but she was so different from them. Aside from personality, they were all going into the Romulan Star Navy. Bianca was the only one going into politics.

Bianca quietly crept along the path to the swinging bench on the shore of the lake. Ironically, it was also near the place where they had first met. The memory made her smile. She peered through the night around her, searching for her friend. And then she caught a whiff of sweet Nua Breizhian tobacco. _Tristan..._

"'But she dreaded the dark, dreaded shadows, dreaded black things. Darkness to her was the one thing dreadful,'" came a deep, though familiar voice from above.

Bianca started. Then she looked up into the tree, slightly irked that he hadn't taken her advice to stop smoking. There sat her awaited friend, Prince Tristan. She could just make out his green eyes and mischievous grin.

"_The Time Machine_," she recalled. "Oh, so now you think of me as an ignorant Eloi, do you, your Highness?"

He suddenly remembering that she disapproved of his habit, and tossed his cigar into a nearby bush. "Well," he grinned, "you always were afraid of the da-"

Suddenly, the branch beneath him broke, and he fell to the ground. Bianca gasped, "Are you alright?"

"Why do you always call me that?" he scowled. "I swear you take a perverse delight in tormenting me, _Lady_ Bianca."

"Ok, fine," she surrendered, relieved that it was only his pride that had been hurt. "Let's agree to our usual truce of dropping titles, shall we?"

Tristan got to his feet and brushed the dirt off his clothes. He was dressed in the fashion of a merchant. "Yes," he agreed. Bianca knew him well enough to see that he still felt humiliated. "So, how are your studies progressing? Have you eliminated all of your rivals yet?"

Bianca smiled. Tristan could be charming when he wanted to be. "You didn't come all this way to discuss politics, Tristan. You came because you needed a friend. What's wrong?"

He shrugged, then sighed. "My life is over, Bianca. I've just been told that I am to marry Princess Zoe."

Bianca's eyes grew wide. "Henri Loiola's daughter?"

"The same."

"But I thought your mother promised she would never force you to marry."

"It isn't coming from my mother," he explained, crossing his arms. "It's my father."

This time, Bianca's jaw dropped. "Why?"

Tristan began to pace. "It never sat well with him that he was the reason the Allaires lost the throne. He wants to make it right again for my mother."

Bianca nodded. "Why can't Princess Zoe marry one of your uncles' sons?"

"She doesn't want any of them," he rolled his eyes, "She wants me."

The girl began to giggle, and then broke into outright laughter. "It's the ears!" she said between breaths, "My mother says human women can't resist them!"

Tristan tried to be annoyed, but soon he found himself laughing along with her.

When they calmed down, Bianca said, "There was a time when you thought Princess Zoe was rather attractive."

He sat on the bench and began to thoughtfully swing back and forth. "She is," he allowed, "But I don't love her, Bianca. She doesn't understand me. I want..."

Bianca sat down next to him, her heart racing again. "What do you want, Tristan?"

But his seriousness melted away, to be replaced once more by his playful side. "I want to go eat. All I've had today was rainwater they called coffee and a dried up excuse for a croissant."

"Don't expect your picky French cuisine here," she said with a raised brow, "This is Romulus. We have our own ways of doing things. And they are equal, if not superior, to human food."

"Then it is fortunate that I am half-Romulan." His smirk faded. "It's good to see you again, Bianca."

Bianca was grateful that it was nighttime because, to her surprise, she found herself blushing. "You, too, Tristan."


	2. Plans Set In Motion

**T&B Chapter II**

Bianca went to work the next day with her father, she was an intern at the Rateg Senate building and while she liked it for the most part, she was quick very astute as well as a hard worker. However, she thought that it was her father's way of keeping closer tabs on her. Nobody ever dared to ask her out on a date and actually the males for the most part did their best to avoid her, she could actually thank her father for never actually ever been out on a proper date and she was already 21 years of age.

She kept thinking about what Tristan had told her the night before and she couldn't help but feel like she was going to lose him forever. He would marry and they could no longer see each other the way they had before, effectively losing her best friend.  
She always knew this would happen, he was expected to marry and produce an heir and while they had spoken of relationships before, this time things seemed completely different; she felt that things were in fact going to change for good.  
She honestly didn't know what to do and her mind kept fogging up during that day, even her co-workers noticed that she was different and asked if she needed to go home or see the healer.

"I'm fine, really." She tried to assure them, but what she really needed was to get out for some fresh air, or so that had been the plan she and Tristan came up with.  
She usually met her father in the cafeteria for lunch but she sent him a note saying she was going to be taking a late lunch and would just grab something to eat... Which wasn't a complete lie.

She left the building and took a deep breath, it was beautiful outside and it was tempting to not go back in to work.  
Unlike most of the Romulan women, Bianca had long, wavy hair that shined beautifully in the light of the day. Her eyes, a deep blue just like her fathers; she was in fact the spitting female image of her father except that she was missing the ridge on her forehead as Tristan so boldly pointed out the first time they had met.  
She frowned at the thought of him and the pain began to settle on her chest again. The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed that this was the last visit Tristan would make to Rateg specifically to see her, the next time he came, he would be a married man and probably have children, and she would probably still be single.

Bianca hadn't even noticed where she was walking, but that familiar smell hit her senses and she immediately saw the source, Tristan was standing on the corner, smoking one of those nasty cigars. She walked over to him, her face revealing nothing as he smirked at her direction. Before he could say anything, she snatched the cigar right out of his mouth and threw it in the trash before she continued to walk with her chin held up.

"Hey! Is that any way to greet a Prince?" He exclaimed, pretending to be upset, but really he was fighting off laughter.

"If his highness wishes to pollute his lungs, he may do so when I am not around, besides, it doesn't really matter anymore anyway, this will probably be the last time we see each other."  
Her sudden seriousness alarmed him. "Never see each other? What are you talking about?"

"When you get married, I doubt your wife will allow you to disappear and see another woman even if we are just friends." Even saying it caused Bianca to shiver in disgust and the more she reflected on their friendship, the more she realized that she was tired of the secrecy, maybe his getting married was for the best, despite how much it would hurt her to lose him, but time healed all wounds right? That was what her mother had said often anyway.

"What's gotten into you Bianca? What do you mean that we'll never see each other again? Who says that we can't?" Tristan asked, now genuinely upset and no longer faking. He could be charming and courteous, but he was a force not to be reckoned with when he was upset, especially since he couldn't understand where this sudden negativity was coming from. Luckily Bianca grew up in household that was all boys so she knew how to handle the situation.

She looked around and saw that they were drawing people's attention so she grabbed him and ushered him across the street where they could talk privately.

"Tristan, you came to me to talk about this and we're talking about it. I've had some time to think about what you told me last night, and I've always been completely honest with you because I care about you." She sighed and leaned against the stone wall, looking up at the birds as they pecked each other.

"You remember when we were kids, and we use to think there was no wrong in the world?"

Tristan didn't like where this conversation was headed, he suddenly had a desire to pull out one of his cigars and take a deep drag but that would just upset Bianca even more.  
He didn't reply so she looked up at him.  
"The future seemed so bright and the sky had no limits." She said with twinkling eyes.  
He finally smirked seeing as how he could never stay angry when she was smiling at him.

"Yeah I remember, the days when you wouldn't even tell me what your name was, for 2 years I kept thinking your name was really Nunya."

They both laughed together at that and stayed staring at each other for several seconds.  
"But we're adults now." She continued softly.  
"And with that comes certain responsibilities that we may not like at first, but in the end they work themselves out; right?"

He finally understood what she meant, and in a way she was in fact saying goodbye to him. Her eyes were glassy and she seemed very sad. "I have no doubt that great things lie ahead in your future and even if they cannot be the way we wish for them to be, you can always be sure that I will always think of you as my friend, even if we can't see each other anymore."

He turned away from her, not believing what he was hearing. "I can't believe how calmly you're taking all of this; I don't accept this! I refuse to accept this!"

She sighed loudly feeling beyond exasperated. "What are you going to do then? Run away?"

"Run away." They both said at the same time, and stopped still as they looked at each other.

**T&B**

"I always get what I want! I've never had to wait for anything in my life. Why should a wife be different? It isn't on Ferenginar, you know." Omag the Ferengi leaned back and took a bite from his sandwich. As he had grown older, his greed had been exceeded only by his girth.

Bianca's twin brothers nodded sympathetically. "Yes, we know," said Bretant, "but on Romulus we let our women choose their husbands."

"It isn't hard to persuade them, though" Letank threw in quickly, as though he were an expert on the subject.

The trio of friends were sitting on the outdoor patio of the brothers' summer home in Rateg, basking in the summer sun. The twins had already finished their lunch quite some time before, but their guest continued to stuff his face, showing no signs of being satisfied.

"I thought _you_ were going to persuade Bianca to marry me," the Ferengi wiped away the huge glob of mayonnaise that had oozed onto his jacket, "but after all these years, I'm still Bianca-less."

Letank and Bretant weren't worried. "She'll come around," Letank assured him.

"Yeah," agreed Bretant, "She's just busy thinking about her career right now. She's still young. Once she starts to realize that she needs to consider finding a husband, her attentions will naturally be drawn to you, my old friend." His earlier discovery of his sister's letter to Tristan had completely slipped both his and his brother's minds.

Omag laughed, his fears dispelled. "That's right! She wants money and power—and I've got both!"

The fact that he was a stupid, uncouth, hideous troll, and therefore in no way appealing to Bianca, had not once occurred to any of them. They were all too absorbed in the political and financial possibilities, and they just assumed Bianca would be, too, once she got her head out of the clouds.

"What about your dad? He doesn't seem to want her to get married."

"Let us handle our dad," said Letank.

"The way to a Romulan woman's heart." Bretant raised his glass and the three toasted to their future alliance.

After they drained their glasses, Omag began to eat again. "What about that kid who thought he was a prince?" it suddenly occurred to him. "He said he was going to come back, you know. What if he does?"

"Nah." The partners in crime exchanged winks, both assuming that since they took away their sister's letter and made threats to tell their dad, she wouldn't write another.

"He hasn't been around for like fifteen years! Why should you worry about him?"

Omag pouted. "Because she hung on his every word and followed him all over the place, that's why! And ignored me, I might add."

"Omag, Omag," Letank poured another drink for them all, "That's all in the past. Bianca is young and naïve, it is true. But she will soon mature and see reason. Just be patient a little longer, my friend."

"Well, okay," he said. Then just like that, he became cheerful again.

**T&B**

Bianca and Tristan stared at each other for several seconds. Then Tristan broke into the boyish smirk he hadn't yet seemed to outgrow. It was a grin that Bianca secretly adored, and she hoped he would never outgrow it.

"Run away. Hmmm..." he said, rubbing the sprouting stubble on his chin. The imp was actually considering it!

The notion was crazy. "No," said Bianca.

Tristan's smile broadened. "Yes!"

"I can't!"

"Yes, you can," he insisted. "Only you can change your fate, Bianca. Do you really want to live with your parents the rest of your life? Haven't you always said you wanted to leave Romulus?"

"I do," she admitted, "but I'll break my mama's heart if I run away."

"She'll get over it," he dismissed the excuse with a wave.

"No. She's not some kind of battle-hardened shieldmaiden like your mother, Tristan."

"Perhaps not, but she'll get over it," he repeated. "Every parent has to let go of their child sometime. _C'est la vie_."

Bianca sighed, but shook her head. "It was a good idea, but it's just not realistic."

Tristan still wasn't deterred. "Fine. You can write to your mother to let her know you're alright. My only stipulation would be that you send your letters _after_ we've left for our next stop." He shuddered. "I don't want your dad chasing me around the galaxy with his shotgun."

"Well..." She thought for a moment. That would seem to solve her biggest concern. As long as her parents knew she was alright she didn't have to feel too guilty. And naturally she had every intention of returning eventually.

"They'll be angry when I get back."

He laughed. "And you think my parents won't? But they can't stay angry forever. No one can. Besides, you're a grown woman. What are they going to do, ground you? Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission—if your brothers can get away with that motto, so can you."

"I can't refute that argument," she allowed.

"Of course not." There was that grin again. Really! Tristan could charm the spots off of a leopard. He began to pace, as was his habit when he planned out the details of recently-hatched ideas. "So where do you want to go?" He rubbed his hands together giddily. "I know I promised to show you Nua Breizh, but I think, given the circumstances, it'll have to wait a while longer."

Bianca couldn't stop the tiny smile that formed on her lips. "You forget, I haven't agreed to your wicked contrivance."

Tristan turned back to face her. It was plain that in his mind, he had already convinced her. "And _you_ forget that it was just as much your idea as mine."

His handsome sea-green eyes peered hopefully, yet confidently, into hers. "You're my best friend. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather do this with," he said, taking her hand. "What do you say? Will you go on an adventure with me, Bianca?"

How could she say no? It was true that this was the most rash and insane thing she had ever considered doing her entire life. But he was right. If she didn't take charge of her future, who would? Everybody else _but_ her, that's who!

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes, Tristan, I will.

**Chapter III already in the works!**


	3. I can't live without you

**T&B Chapter III**

Letant opened his messages and his daughter's name quickly stood out above the rest. He double clicked on it and read the contents of her note and frowned. They always ate lunch together, and it was true that occasionally she would get busy with work just as he would too, but something didn't really seem right to him about it.  
He immediately excused himself from the meeting he was currently sitting and walked the vast hallways of the Senate building until he reached her department. Most people had already gone out for their mid-day break already but he happened upon Raamsel, a young Romulan who he too had warded off from his daughter only three days after she began her internship there when Letant caught him staring at her.

"Where is Bianca?" Letant quickly asked him.

"Bianca? I uhh.. I don't know Sir; I think she left." Raamsel said, trying not to sound nervous.

"So, you were watching her?" Letant asked in a menacing fashion.

"No Sir, I mean.. I happened to see her and well, she's not here Sir."

Letant gave him a hard stare for a few seconds, he walked slowly towards the young Romulan, never breaking eye contact, and then his face broke out into his usual jovial smile as he patted the nervous young man on the back. "That's good Raamsel, remember that if I ever see you near my daughter; nobody will ever see your face again." He said a little more seriously but then smiled again as he walked out, leaving poor Raamsel not knowing whether to laugh or curl up in a fetal position under his desk.

Letant immediately called Bea once he was back in his office, when she appeared on screen, her face was completely covered with blue cream and she had a towel wrapped around her head.

"At the Spa again darling?" Letant smirked.

"You want a beautiful wife don't you?" she replied smirking right back at him. "I'm glad you called honey because I was just thinking that we should have one of the servants watch the kids so you and I can go out tonight; I can put on that red dress that you're so fond of." She said with an all knowing mischievous grin. Letant grinned right back and suddenly all reason behind his initial call of asking about Bianca were forgotten.  
"Can you come home early?" Bea pleaded with her sparkling eyes.

"You demand too much of me woman." Letant replied huskily. "But I will concede to your request."  
Bea winked back at him. "I'll make it up to you honey; I promise."  
Letant lifted a brow;

"I'm holding you to that; enjoy your spa retreat."  
They bid their goodbyes and for the rest of the day; Letant's thoughts revolved around work, and Bea in her red dress.

**T&B**

"So where are we going?" Bianca asked once they boarded the small ship Tristan had arrived in.

"We'll discuss that in a minute." He said as he quickly disembarked and met up with an older Romulan outside. Tristan handed him a box of Nua Breizh cigars and two dozen pieces of latinum. "For your silence; you never saw us here."

The Romulan smirked at the goods and nodded. "Saw who?"

Tristan patted him on the back. "Good man." and quickly boarded the ship again.

"How about Earth? Paris sounds exceptionally good, or perhaps Provence? There is much we can do there, just like in the book." He suggested.

"You forget Tristan, that is probably one of the top three places our families will go to look for us. I think we have to write off Earth entirely as an option." She stayed pensive for a moment, and Tristan took the opportunity to gaze at her features. She had matured into such a beautiful woman. He could somewhat understand why her old man was so protective of her. They were just friends and already he was protective of her too, he guessed that her father had two full time jobs; one as Senator, and the other fighting off men left and right.

"I have never been to Bajor, and I have heard much of its beauty." Bianca replied after a while, causing Tristan to smirk boyishly.

"We always end up in places that are situated around gardens." He said with a far-off smile more to himself than her.

"We don't have to go there, it's just a suggestion." Bianca replied, worried that he had not liked the idea.

"No, I think Bajor is perfect." He said with a smile as he got up and took a seat behind the controls. He looked over at her and patted the chair next to him. "Come along M'lady, for our adventure begins."

**T&B**

After Bea ended communication with Letant, she turned around to face Jan and Comfort who were both getting massages.

"I do declare; you've still got that man wrapped around your finger after all these years. If it weren't for early menopause, I believe you would've gone on havin' ankle biters still." Comfort said in awe and then smiled. "But then again, my sugar dumplin' still has got it bad for me too I guess."

"No kidding; he's called three times already since we've been here." Bea laughed. "If he could be in here with us, he probably would!"

Jan laughed as well but was then interrupted when she herself got a call from Vreenak.

"So, how are them kids; givin' you lots of trouble?" Comfort asked Bea.

"Surprisingly; it's the older boys Lentak and Bretant that give me the most grief, I really wish that they'd settle down and get married, maybe then they wouldn't cause so much trouble! The younger boys are so different, they're very serious and dedicated to their school activities, and then of course there's Bianca who's already interning at the Senate; I'm very proud of her, she's never given me any trouble at all."

"Has she found a man yet?" Comfort asked with a twinkle in her teal eyes.

"A man? She's not focused on that right now." Bea replied.

"She's not focused or y'all don't want her to be focused?" Comfort challenged.

"Come on, she can have a boyfriend; I don't have a problem with that; she's old enough." Bea replied.

"I don't think your husband agrees with that." Jan called out despite still being on call with Vreenak.

Comfort raised a brow. "You don't think that poor girl hasn't inherited that fiery desire you and Letant have? Poor girl is probably hotter than a boiled Louisiana crawfish; she done need a man!"

Bea smirked. "You're mistaken Comfort, her mind isn't focused on a man yet; I'm her mother, I would definitely know if she wanted a man."

**T&B**

"You're not going to let this go are you?" Bianca raised a brow at Tristan as he was practically begging. He never acted that way in front of anyone else. His manners were always well thought out and calculated, but for some reason when he was with Bianca, it's like the wheels of the clock turned back and he was a kid again.

"One quick stop is all I'm asking for, I promise we wont be detected."

She still didn't seem convinced, so he decided to turn it in another direction. "You know; I know a bistro that makes the best chocolate-grand mariner torte that you've ever tasted."  
He began to mentally count the seconds and after the 2nd one, he saw her eyes blink rapidly, and her small pink tongue quickly darted out to lick her bottom lip before she pressed her lips together.

"Did you say Chocolate?"

"So good, that you will sing opera after the first bite." He said with that boyish grin of his.

She sighed loudly and he already knew she would give in, this was further confirmed when she looked over at him.  
"We have to disguise ourselves to look human if this is going to work."

He reached across and gently moved her hair so that it covered her ears, at one point his fingers brushed up against her cheek and a shiver shot throughout her body, she inhaled sharply and closed her eyes.

"There, you look human." He replied, not noticing what his touch did to her.  
She looked over at him, but particularly at his rather large and pointed ears when a wicked smile formed on her face.

"You can't go out like that, the Provence people will think you're an overgrown rabbit and try to shoot you for dinner."

He laughed and pushed her playfully. "The Provence people eat fox this time of year, not rabbit."

She lifted a brow. "They might make an exception for you." She then got up and began to rummage around his small ship. There were a couple of boxes of cigars, several bottles of water, a couple of Peter Mayle books of course, and then she spotted a black beret hidden in the corner.  
She looked at her own clothes and took off her grey Romulan jacket, underneath she had a plain black, long sleeved shirt that hugged her figure nicely. The pants and boots could pass off as human clothing too so she was pretty much set.  
She picked up the beret and dusted it off before she came up behind him and placed it over his head, and tucked his ears underneath. She peered into his face and giggled at how funny he looked. "Now you look human too."

**T&B**

"Ah, Provence..." Tristan leaned back in his chair and finished the last sip of his coffee.

Bianca responded with a content sigh of agreement. Just sitting there at the outdoor cafe after a cup of coffee and the chocolate grand marnier torte they had shared was in itself worth running away. They could hear a French opera playing inside the cafe.

Tristan leaned forward and held out a cigar, with an expectant puppy dog expression on his face.

"Fine..." Bianca rolled her eyes. He had gone almost an entire day without one, and had asked her permission, after all.

He flashed a grateful smile and lit up. "_Merci, Milady,_" he said, as he waved out the match. The devil was too charming for his own good.

Soon a cloud of smoke engulfed him, and Bianca was glad they were outdoors. The tobacco smell itself was sweet and not unpleasant, but she still thought it was a nasty habit of his. She wondered what he would be like if he stopped. He definitely would look less like a scoundrel. But at the same time, his half-Romulan, half-French "swashbuckler" persona was rather dashing. He was kind of like one of the heroes from the books they always read together. Knowing him, it was probably intentional.

A man at the table next to them asked him in French where he had obtained his cigar. Bianca could understand the language well enough, but she was too shy to try to speak it. Tristan told him.

"_Oh, la la!_" the man exclaimed. Yes, the Nua Breizhian tobacco was on its way to earning a reputation throughout the quadrant.

After rapidly articulating with the man for a minute or two, Tristan turned his attention back to Bianca, grinning at her with the cigar in his teeth.

Bianca rolled her eyes, unsure if she was annoyed at him, or entranced. Ironic how the two often seemed to coincide.

Tristan, sensing that he had displeased her, frowned and put out the remainder of his stogie. Then he began to sing along with the opera in an attempt to get back in her good graces. "_Oui, c'est elle! _(Yes, it is she) _C'est la déesse _(She is the goddess) _Plus charmante et plus belle! _(So charming and so beautiful)."

Bianca hit his arm. "Stop it," she hissed through her teeth, "you're embarrassing me! You're such a fool."

"But you like opera."

"Not when you sing it in front of people!" she shot back, mortified by his lack of concern.

"You need some more chocolate and grand marnier. Then you can sing the lady's part when it comes up." He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, we'll never see these people again."

Bianca noted that Tristan didn't need chocolate or alcohol to make a fool of himself. He did that just fine on his own. She couldn't imagine how he must have behaved at home, all serious and by the book.

Before she knew it, everyone else in the cafe had joined in singing the chorus. Bianca found herself singing along. Once she got over the initial embarrassment, she discovered she was having the time of her life. She knew she would never forget this moment as long as she lived.

**T&B**

Early the next morning, they were in orbit of Bajor.

"Where to now?" Tristan asked. He pulled up a map of the planet and displayed it on the screen.

"Hmmmm..." She thought for a moment, tapping her finger to her chin. "I'd like to go ice skating. I haven't done that since I was a kid."

"Neither have I," he rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Good idea. It's winter in the Musilla Province right now."

They beamed down with their winter wear and skates to a secluded section of a frozen lake. The sky was overcast and a light, pretty snow was falling.

"Oh, Tristan, it's perfect," she said happily. She quickly slipped her skates on.

"Yes," he agreed. "This was a good choice." Then he pouted. "I suppose you're going to laugh at me when I fall on my butt and make an idiot of myself."

Bianca giggled. "No indeed! You've already done that, _mon amis_!" She playfully tapped him on the nose with her finger. Since they had spent the previous afternoon in France, she was dropping the expressions she had heard left and right.

Tristan grinned, then sat down to put on his skates. "Then you can go first."

"Alright, I will." She glided gracefully across the ice and even added a few spins.

"Show off..." he mumbled. His skates wobbled beneath him as he stood up. Before he knew it, Bianca grabbed his hands and pulled him forward.

"Wait! Wait! I wasn't ready!" Bianca let him go and he waved his arms around frantically. For a while, he coasted right along. But he soon lost his balance, and fell on his behind just as he predicted he would.

Bianca laughed again. He was so adorable, though she didn't dare tell him so. He may have only been half-Romulan, but she knew full well that was enough to give him a Romulan's ego.

"You're always laughing at me," he complained, his pride somewhat bruised.

Though she thought it was cute the way he allowed himself to be humiliated easily, she decided to change the subject anyway. "The snow is falling faster."

"It'll be fine. It's only snow," he said undauntedly.

"I suppose we can always beam back up to the ship if it gets too bad."

Bianca spent the next few hours helping Tristan re-learn how to skate. Before long, he was racing around the frozen lake, and even boldly jumping over logs. He left the spins to Bianca, however.

"Who's the showoff now, your Highness?"

Her own confidence meanwhile was also increasing, and it wasn't difficult to keep up with him. The flakes were coming down harder, and the sky was beginning to darken. She estimated that they had about one more hour before they wouldn't be able to see anymore. The second day of their adventure was going to be over all too soon.

"Let's race," she dared him. "Last one to the other side is a rotten egg!" And she was off.

"Wait!" he called after her, "We shouldn't skate across the middle without testing it first!" He quickly followed. Perhaps he was just being overly cautious. It was cold enough, but it seemed to him like it was a deep lake. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her, and was beginning to understand perfectly why her father was so protective.

The light was fading, and the snow was falling with a vengeance. It was developing into a blizzard. And then his worst fear was realized. The ice beneath her cracked, and she fell through.

"Bianca!" he cried in despair. Without hesitation, Tristan dived in after her, all the while wondering if he was going to end up joining her in an icy, watery grave.

The cold, black water swallowed him up like hungry sea serpent. He desperately tried not to panic as he blindly felt about for her. Time was running out. His already exerted lungs were screaming for air. Where was Bianca?

Just as he was about to give up and return to the surface, something brushed past his hand. It was Bianca—he knew it! He swam forward. There it was again. After what seemed like an eternity, he found her, and ascended.

But now they were under the ice. In his frenzied search for her he had lost his way. He moved along the bottom of the frozen surface. Bianca wasn't moving, so he guessed she had lost consciousness. Tristan was becoming disoriented himself.

And then, miraculously, he found the opening. His lungs burned as he gasped the frigid air. He managed to lift her out of the water, and then pulled himself out. He rolled onto his back in exhaustion.

Beside him, Bianca wasn't moving. He held her nose and began to force air into her mouth.

"Bianca! Please don't die! You can't die, _cherie_! I can't live without you! This is all my fault!"

As if she had heard him, she began to cough the water out of her lungs. She was breathing again. "Tristan..." she mumbled deliriously. Feeling his strength suddenly return, he took her into his arms.

He spotted a cottage on the shore. It appeared to be abandoned. He headed right for it.


	4. They've run away!

**Thanks to everyone who's been kind enough to leave reviews!**

**T&B Chapter IV**

Tristan had to put Bianca down for a few seconds while he tried to open the door, unfortunately it was locked well, so he desperately began checking the windows and luckily one of them began to budge as he pulled it up. Once it opened enough for him to fit through, he climbed in and immediately unbarred the cabin and brought Bianca inside who looked to have lost consciousness again.  
Quickly, he checked her pulse and made sure she was still breathing. He realized she needed to get out of those cold and wet clothes, not even thinking that he too needed to do the same.  
There was a large stack of firewood in one corner of the cabin so he got to work right away on building a fire in the pit, and placed Bianca as close to it as possible. He ran towards the bedrooms and opened the closets, the first one was filled with nothing but canned food, water bottles, and some hunting gear. He checked the next closet and shouted triumphantly when he found several warm blankets. They smelled weird and when he opened them up, several moth like creatures flew about but he wasn't in a position to be picky at this time.

He quickly undressed her as much as he dared, her skin was an alarming pale green color. He bundled her up with two of the blankets and immediately her color began to get better.

When he was sure that she would be alright, he finally undressed as well and covered himself with the last blanket. He sat in front of the fire and carefully picked Bianca up and wrapped his arms around her, looking into the flames and questioning if this was such a good idea after all, but then the thought of going through with a loveless marriage put a stop to those thoughts.  
He looked into Bianca's face and knew without a doubt that he needed her in his life, it had always been that way since they had first met when they were children and that feeling only intensified as they grew older. Everything was such a mess though, his father on the one hand was adamant he marry a Loiola, Princess Zoe in particular, and Bianca's father was adamant that she remain celibate for life. Each parent was being so incredibly selfish that he still had trouble believing it was true.

From that moment on, he was resolved that he wouldn't let his parents dictate who he was to marry. This near death experience put things in perspective for him and he knew that he didn't want anyone else but Bianca, the problem now was trying to decipher if she wanted the same as him too.

He cradled Bianca closer to him and allowed his fingers to carefully trace down her face, and then slightly over her lips which were still a pale green color.  
He knew it was probably a bad idea, she was still unconscious, unaware and yet his feelings were so conflicted that logical reasoning didn't follow through this time around as he allowed himself to gently press his lips against hers.

**T&B**

It wasn't until the following morning, after his hot date with Bea that Letant realized his daughter had gone missing. Lentak and Bretant came barging in the house so loudly that Letant heard it all the way from the second floor suite, his acute hearing allowed him to hear some of what they were saying.

"You tell him."

"No! You tell him!"

He got up from his bed, bypassing the heap of clothes strewn over the floor from the heated activities of the previous night; he put a robe over himself and headed downstairs.

"What's all the commotion?!" He asked in his powerful, and authority-filled voice.

The boys immediately looked up at him with shock and Letant knew that what they had to say was not good.

"Out with it!" He demanded again, imagining that they had gotten into some kind of mischief again and were in trouble.

"It's Bianca dad." Lentak began.

Letant immediately went pale at the mention of her name, he had forgotten completely about her.

"She's run off... With Tristan." Bretant finished as he held up the letter she had sent off to them.

**T&B**

Bianca was having the most wonderful dream where she was being held by Tristan. He was looking deep into her eyes before he kissed her. She murmured her approval and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back passionately and she felt him open his mouth as she did the same, she felt him pull her to him even more tightly as they explored one another. It had to be a dream because nothing had ever felt so right to her, even though she had never kissed anyone before, it felt so natural with him, as if she had kissed him a thousand times before, maybe the fact that it was a dream had a lot to do with it too. She opened her eyes and looked up at him when they paused, why was he wearing a blanket?  
She looked down at herself and realized she was covered in a blanket too and not wearing any clothes underneath.

"Oh my... " She began to freak out when she suddenly realized she wasn't dreaming.

"Please wait!" He practically begged as he moved closer to her. "You fell through the ice, do you remember?"

She was breathing rapidly, her mind trying to grasp what had happened.  
"Yeah, I remember that, but how did we get here? and why am I... you know.. We didn't do.. Did we? " Her eyes were as big a saucers, he knew kissing her while she was unconscious was probably not a good idea, but he hadn't been able to help himself, and mid-way through the kiss she had woken up and started kissing him right back.

"No! Of course not! I mean.. umm I uhh.. not that I wouldn't if you wanted to.. Wow, I can't believe I just said that out loud right now.. but we didn't !" Tristan said even though he knew he was probably just freaking her out even more so he stopped, took a deep breath and started from the beginning.

"Look, you took off skating and the ice gave way, I dove in after you but at some point you lost consciousness. I was able to get us both out and I found a cabin nearby, which is where we are right now. You were still not gaining consciousness and I knew that all the freezing wet clothes wasn't going to help so I took them off of you, and wrapped you up in these blankets I found, we didn't do anything indecent; I swear I would never dishonor you like that!"

She saw that he was emotionally conflicted and his eyes were glassy so she hugged him tightly, "Thank you for saving me Tristan" she whispered as her head was resting on his chest. He was finally able to calm down enough and hug her back. "Like I had any other choice; I can't live without you Bianca." He whispered. They stayed in a locked embrace for several long minutes without saying anything else.

**T&B**

For the first few days, Tristan's parents didn't know he had even left the planet. Lady Guinevere assumed he had gone hunting in the forest. She thought his sudden absence was a bit unusual for him, but she wasn't alarmed. He had seemed agitated as of late, and obviously wanted some time to himself.

Bochra likewise believed his son had gone hunting to blow off steam. Unlike his wife, however, he knew the exact reason for Tristan's sudden departure. Perhaps he had been wrong to try to pressure him into marring Princess Zoe.

But why wouldn't he want to marry her? She was a nice enough girl. They had plenty of things in common. But Tristan didn't even want to give her a chance. All Bochra ever heard out of him when he talked to her was, "Excuuuuusssee me, Princess!"

He rubbed his eyes in frustration, then went to the great hall to find his wife. Once there, he found that she was visiting with Zoe herself, who had come seeking Tristan.

"I'm terribly sorry, dear cousin," said Guinevere, "but my son is not here at present."

Zoe smiled politely, but it was plain she was annoyed to have come all that way for nothing. "Do you know when he will be back, my Lady?"

Guinevere awkwardly returned her smile. "I'm afraid I don't. To tell the truth, I'm not entirely certain where he is."

"I see," the girl sadly looked down at her feet.

True, she wasn't of the same caliber as Tristan's mother. In Bochra's opinion, however, no woman was in the same league as his wife, unfortunate though it was for his son. He just wanted to prove to Guinevere that marrying him wasn't a mistake. The fact that she had always insisted that it wasn't made no difference.

At the same time, he wanted what was best for his son. The problem was, what Tristan wanted was seldom what was best. As a result, all of Tristan's life, Bochra had ended up trying to steer him away from the things he had wanted to do. He wanted to join the Romulan Star Navy, but Bochra didn't want his son to know the horrors of war. Or the brutal and at times dishonorable tactics of the Romulan military.

It was all they could do to convince him to join the diplomatic program at the university-

His reverie was interrupted when Mistress Enora came up behind him with a padd. "Lord Bochra, there's a message from your son."

Bochra tensed. _ Did she have to announce that to the entire planet?_ _ This _can't_ be good._ He hoped Guinevere and Zoe hadn't heard that.

"A message from Tristan?" Zoe's countenance brightened.

_Too late. _ "Eh, yes.. Thank you, Enora." Bochra took the letter.

"Lord Bochra, do forgive my boldness," the princess pleaded, "Please tell me when Tristan will return."

How was it that human women had that uncanny ability to disarm him? "Of course," he promised, "As soon as I know myself."

"Please stay with us as our guest until he returns," said Guinevere, eying her husband suspiciously. She was now aware that things were amiss, and surmised that he knew more than he was letting on.

Enora offered to show the princess to her room. Zoe followed her.

Guinevere turned to him as soon as they were out of earshot. "My love...do you know why our son left?" Her beautiful brown eyes eagerly searched his for an answer.

There was no getting around it. At this point, he was going to be in the doghouse in any case. "I have an idea," he admitted. "But perhaps his own words will better explain."

The opened the letter. It had been sent from Romulus. They exchanged worried glances.

"I had no idea he left the planet," he assured her. They read the letter.

_Dear Mother and Father,_

_I must inform you that I have left Nua Breizh, and without any intention of returning. I cannot remain on a world where people are forced into marriage against their will. I have tried to fulfill all of your expectations of me up to this point. But the line must be drawn here. I will bend no further._

_Please forgive me for the pain and disappointment I have caused you._

_Your son,_

_Tristan_

Guinevere's hand was shaking by the time they finished. "What does this mean, 'forced to marry against his will'?" she demanded.

"It's my fault," he said bluntly, "We had an argument. I tried to convince him to marry Zoe."

"Why?" she breathed, just on the verge of tears.

"I wanted your family to regain what they lost...because you married me."

Her eyes flashed with fury. "When will you believe me when I say that doesn't matter?" Now tears were streaming down her face. "The only thing I regret about marrying you is that because of your stupid, Romulan pride, our only child is gone!" She raised her hand to slap him, but then lowered it. She covered her face and wept.

Bochra was overwhelmed with guilt. How could he have been such a fool? He should have known Tristan would run away. He was just like his mother. She too, had refused to marry a man she didn't love, and had chosen him instead. Only now did he see how wrong he had been.

"Guinevere," he said gently, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"YOU!" she snapped, "You, are going to fix this! Bring our baby back! I'll never speak to you again until you do!" She stormed out of the room.

She was right. "I will bring our child back, my wife," he whispered. "I promise. And I will make things right between us again, my son."

He summoned Capitaine Heranal. "We're going to Romulus," he told him.

"May I ask why we are going to Romulus, Milord?" Heranal asked when they had got underway.

"Tristan has run away."

"Just like his mother..." he mumbled, following his remark with a string of French expletives under his breath. _I'm getting too old for this! I should be retired, not chasing after another head-strong teenager!_

"Yes," the Romulan agreed without adding anything else.

"Gone to see that girl, eh?"

Bochra blinked at him in surprise. "Girl? What girl?"

"That politician's daughter—can't remember her name—you know, the one who wanted him to come to her aunt's wedding all those years ago."

"_Letant's_ daughter? But they haven't even seen each other since then—have they?"

Heranal chuckled and lit a cigar. "And I'm the one with the failing eyesight. The boy's been to Romulus several times to keep up the diplomatic ties. Why should you be surprised that he kept up with her while he was at it?"

Bochra considered the possibility, obviously for the first time. "And...he cares for this girl, do you think?"

"I don't know," he shrugged in the characteristically French manner, "But he is a man now. He's bound to fall in love eventually. She's half-human, too, and can understand him in ways that you and I cannot possibly imagine. It would make perfect sense if he fell in love with her."

"Hmmm..." he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Thank you, Capitaine. You've been most enlightening." With that, he went off to his quarters.

"Déjà vu." He leaned back in his chair and blew a few rings of smoke. _And some people complain that their lives aren't exciting enough..._


	5. Le Cochon Ferengi

**Let's give it up for Lorna Winters Ladies and Gentlemen, who despite having gone through not one, but TWO blizzards, was still able to write and send in her half for your entertainment. If that isn't commitment to "Lovers of pointy-eared beings" society, I don't know what is; she's amazing!**

* * *

"May I humbly suggest my lord that we stop by Senator Letant's estate to verify if the girl is there?" Capitaine Heranal suggested as they were nearing Romulus.

Bochra lifted a brow. "You're really convinced that his daughter has something to do with Tristan's running away don't you?"

Capitaine Herenal all but rolled his eyes as he sighed loudly.  
"Let us hope that is not the case my lord, she might be able to give us some kind of hint as to Tristan's whereabouts at the very least."

Bochra didn't comment further for he was rather shocked at how out of touch he seemed to be with regards to his own son. In his mind he had assumed that he and Letant's daughter didn't even speak since they were children. His mind couldn't wrap around the idea that they would get any kind of answer out of visiting Senator Letant's residence and then they arrived outside on the brick walkway when the door slammed shut and the Senator was storming out of the house wearing only a robe and carrying a disruptor with two other younger Romulan males trying to stop him.

"I'll kill him! He's going to regret the day that he ever met her!" Letant barked angrily, and then he looked up and saw Bochra and Heranal nearing the house. He stood up straight and regained control, not at all concerned about the weapon he was currently carrying in his hands.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I do not have time to receive guests at this moment, if you will please come back at another time when…"

"Are you Senator Letant?" Bochra asked regardless, the Senator was a few inches shorter than him, but all the same, it was obvious that he was a powerful man not to be disrespected, his stance commanded authority, and his poise was of a man who ready for a fight; Bochra was fearful that maybe Captaine Heranal had been right all along. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for what was to come but at the same time he too poised himself fearlessly.

"I am Lord Bochra of Nua Breizh; I have come because my son is missing and I wondered if… Ackkk!" he shouted in shock and fell backwards as Letant launched himself on him and practically rang his neck.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Letant yelled. "YOUR IDIOT SON HAS TAKEN MY DAUGHTER! MY INNOCENT DAUGHTER!"

"Holy Kali fal! Dad snapped! Hurry! Go get mom out here!" Lentak barked at Bretant, but he didn't have to go far for she had been woken by the sound of the slamming door previously and was already stepping outside.

"What's the meaning of all this? Letant? What's going on?" Bea asked with wide eyes. "What has gotten into you? Get off that poor man!"

"This poor man!" Letant all but spat out. "Is the father of that no good boy who has now taken our only daughter and has run off with her!"

"Now see here Senator!" Capitaine Herenal said stepping in. "It takes two to tango; Lord Tristan is not the only one at fault here!" His face grew red as he took several steps closer to Letant but Bochra stopped him and cleared his throat.

"Please calm yourself, nothing is solved by fighting." He then turned to Letant and his wife who was now standing beside him with looks that demanded an explanation.

"So I take it your daughter is missing as well." Bochra stated.

"You're damned right my daughter is missing! She would never do anything like this; your son must have tricked my poor and innocent Bianca somehow! I'll kill him!"

Bea gasped out loud. "What… what.. what do you mean she's missing? Letant? Where is my daughter?!"

Letant sighed and pulled out the PADD to show her the letter that Bianca had sent. As Bea read it, tears began to stream down her cheeks, and eventually she began to sob uncontrollably. "My baby! My baby run away?! How?"

"Bretant, please take her inside and calm her down; I'll settle this." Letant ordered in a manner that booked no room for discussion. He waited until Bea was back inside and he turned to Bochra with a venomous glare. "So, '_Lord Bochra'…_What are you going to do to get my daughter back?"

**T&B**

"Bianca.." Tristan whispered as he looked into her deep blue eyes. "What do you wish for us to do now? I'll understand if you want to go back home."

She looked right back at him for several moments before asking in turn. "Is that what you want Tristan? To go back?"

"No!" He replied a little too forcefully, he was still holding her in his arms, and the truth was that he wasn't ready to let her go just yet. "But I thought that since.. You know.. The accident and all… Maybe you'd want to go back."

To his surprise, she raised her brow mischievously and began to giggle. He had no idea what she found so humorous but he found himself laughing back. "What? What's so funny? You're always laughing at me!" She giggled again and leant forward and pecked his nose with her lips.  
"I'm not ready to give up on our adventure yet, we're just getting started!"

He looked at her in shock and then began laughing. "You almost get us killed and not an hour later, you're ready for round two. Why am I not surprised to hear that response from you? It's no wonder your father keeps such a close watch on you, _cest' trouble maker_!" He chuckled and looked into her eyes again. "But it's one of the reasons why I love you so much Bianca."

She was laughing too but then abruptly stopped at his bold declaration. "What did you say?"  
Her heart was beating fast all of the sudden, especially at the tender look he was currently giving her; it's like she was seeing him with new eyes.

"I love you Bianca." He whispered as his fingertips brushed her cheek. "And I know you love me too, so don't even try to deny it." He finished with a smirk.  
She slapped his arm playfully.

"You're certainly sure of yourself aren't you? What makes you so sure that I love you back hmm?" She said as she crossed her arms in front of her.  
He gently took hold of her chin and moved her face so that it was only about an inch away from his.

"Look at me and tell me you don't love me Bianca."

She looked into his green eyes and scowled, her lips pouting in that way he was so very fond of especially when they were younger, she use to put on that same face when she'd lose a game against him.

"I love you, and you love me, there will never be anyone else for either of us, it's why you agreed to come away with me; right?" He said with that charming smirk of his.

She was still scowling, but then her features softened and she gave him a genuine smile. He was right of course, and he knew it, there was no point in denying it.

"Well, since you obviously have everything figured out '_your highness' _ Tell me, what are we going to do next? As delightful as taking a dip in frigid waters was, I believe I'm ready to go someplace warm now, Say… Kendra Valley?"

Tristans eyes sparked yet again. "The Holana River perhaps?"

Bianca giggled yet again. "Hmmm.. that section of the valley is said to be one of the most romantic spots on the planet."

"Which is why we're going right now." Tristan said as he got up and lifted Bianca into his arms. He looked into her eyes and smiled yet again. "Words cannot begin to express how I feel right now; I don't think I have ever been this happy; ever."

**T&B**

Lentak and Bretant didn't know how Omag, the fat Ferengi found out about the news, but his reaction was beyond anything they had ever expected. His chest was heaving, and several buttons had popped off his shirt when he began to wave his hands around wildly.

"YOU ALL LIED TO ME! HOW COULD YOU! YOU SAID SHE WOULD BE MINE!"

"This was unforeseen to us all Omag!" Lentak quickly yelled back.

"Don't you dare try to feed me that sack of lies! We all know that they've been friends since that time they met when we went to K'Vec river when we were children! What has happened now can't be such a surprise to you all; and yet you promised me she would be my wife!"

He began to salivate and reached into his pocket and pulled out some kind of bar where after only two bites he had devoured the entire thing and then dug into his other pocket to pull out another bar.

Bretant sighed. "Maybe it is time that we all face up to the fact that this would inevitably happen."

Lentak and the fat Ferengi gave shocked glances as Bretant. "I'm sorry; this whole experience must have caused you to suffer from brain damage, did you just say what I think you said?" Omag questioned.

"Yeah Bretant, what's gotten into you?" Lentak asked.

"My sister has gotten to me Lentak! I know that we're all friends and we go way back, but we have to consider our sister's best interest too!"

"We are!" Lentak yelled back. "She would never want for nothing if she were to unite with Omag!" They both turned to look at the fat Ferengi to find that he was digging into his back pocket for a third bar and he had at this point completely lost track of the conversation as he was obviously attending to more serious matters such as, feeding his face.

"What makes you think she wouldn't be well off with the Nua Breizh guy? He's a Prince isn't he?" Bretant asked.

"You believe that horse manure?" Lentak questioned.

Bretant rolled his eyes and brought out his PADD, after a few seconds he handed it over to Lentak who's eyes grew wide in shock. He blinked rapidly and then looked over at his brother. "I had no idea…"

**T&B  
**

Tristan and Bianca cleaned the cabin thoroughly, and tried as much as possible to return it to its previous state. Then they hiked to the nearest village, because unfortunately, the shuttle control device was lost during their polar bear plunge. When they got there, they learned that a blizzard even worse than the first one was about to hit the area.

"Better get out now, or you won't leave 'til spring," warned an aged Bajoran man, who pointed his bony finger at them. "I haven't seen a storm this bad since I was about your age. The Prophets are testing us."

They didn't have to be told twice. So they hopped onto the next train that was headed to warmer latitudes. It was not a moment too soon. The train had to race the storm out of the valley.

"That was a close one," the conductor chuckled nervously once they were out of the mountain pass. He brushed away the sweat from his brow as they watched the avalanche of snow falling down into the valley behind them.

Their first stop was Jalanda City, where they obtained a new shuttle control, then quickly got back onto the train. Bianca at first thought it would have been nice to see the newly rebuilt Forum. But they decided in the end that they were both too sick of winter for it to be worth staying around.

As it grew dark outside the coach window, Bianca tried to get comfortable in her seat. She was exhausted from everything, and was getting frustrated. Tristan put his arm around her and laid her head on his chest.

"Better?" he asked gently.

"Much better," she sighed. She was able to relax, finally.

"My beautiful Bianca," he said, running his fingers through her soft, wavy hair. The last thing she heard him say before she drifted off to sleep was, "Please marry me soon..."

The next morning, Bianca awoke to find that Tristan was gone. A man in the seat across the isle was snoring loudly. Drool dripped down his chin, and his body was contorted in a weird angle. She grabbed Tristan's coat and held it to her mouth to keep from laughing aloud.

Just then, Tristan returned with a tray of assorted fruit and a two cups of Bajoran hot tea. "They don't have coffee," he grumbled, clearly put out.

Bianca smiled. He was so cute and thoughtful. Her heart melted instantly.

He noticed her smiling at him and blushed slightly. "Your breakfast, my lady."

"Why, thank you, kind sir."

"You're welcome." He sat down next to her. "My mother always likes it when my father brings her coffee in bed, so I thought...anyway," he took a bite of kava fruit.

"He really loves your mother, doesn't he?" Bianca was encouraged. It was a well-known fact that most men treated their wives the way their father treated their mother.

"Yes. Sometimes I think he loves her more than he does me. But," he quickly changed the subject, "I was talking to a lady in the dining car. She's going on a river cruise, down the Holana River." He lifted an inquiring brow.

Bianca was practically giddy with delight. "Oh, Tristan, that sounds perfect!"

**T&B**

"What am _I_ going to do?" Bochra unflinchingly met Letant's eyes, and held his ground. In his mind, the conniving senator was fortunate that he hadn't re-acted with his warrior's instinct and snapped his neck for laying hold of his person in such a manner. What was worse, he had insulted his son.

He set his jaw and calmed himself. "How typical of a politician to blame everyone but himself," he remarked haughtily. "I see little has changed in the years I've been away."

"Your bastard of a son seduced my daughter!" Letant accused.

Bochra felt his temper rise once again. Those were fighting words. "My son may be many things, Senator, but he is not without honor. For all I know, your hussy of daughter seduced _him_!"

The next thing Bochra knew, he felt Letant's fist connect with his jaw. Now his blood was a rolling boil. They had talked enough. It was high time they settled this, man to man. He knocked the disruptor from his opponent's hand, and they began to struggle. Then they were on the ground, wrestling in the dirt.

Heranal tried to intervene. "Messieurs! Please stop!" But the gray-haired human was rudely shoved backwards.

Though Letant was older than Bochra, and didn't come from a military background, he was surprisingly powerful. He managed to deliver several more blows, while Bochra dealt a few of his own as well. The two Romulans continued to scrap, neither willing to give way. Before long, a cloud of dust was forming around them.

After a while, Letant's two sons came back outside, followed by a plump Ferengi, who was still stuffing his face with whatever he was eating.

"Holy cow!" one of the boys exclaimed, "Dad's foaming at the mouth!"

They attempted to break up the fight, but ended up in the same way as Heranal.

"Get your mother!" the capitaine told the boys, "She's the only one who can stop this now!"

Soon they returned with Bea. "Stop it! Stop it!" she shouted angrily.

At the sound of her voice, they suddenly halted the skirmish. Letant saw that his wife was glaring at him, and sheepishly wiped the trickle of green coming from his nose.

"What are you two doing?"

"Bea, my love, I can explain..." Letant attempted.

"Do you honestly think this is going to solve anything?" she scolded, her eyes still red from crying. "You two are acting like a couple of little Klingon boys!"

Bochra crossed his arms indignantly. "Look, lady-"

"Don't you 'look lady' me, sir!" she interrupted. He clamped his mouth shut.

Then she turned her fury in her husband's direction. "If you love me, Letant—if you _ever_ loved me—you'll stop fooling around and bring back my little girl!" With that, she stomped off into the house and slammed the door behind her.

"Eh, that's what my wife told me, too." Bochra wiped the blood from his own face. "And I used to think the fire falls at Gal Gath'thong were intense."

"So did I." He stared at his visitor for a few seconds. "You really don't know where my Bianca has gone?" he asked cheerlessly.

Bochra shrugged. "That's why I'm here. I'm looking for Tristan."

"Hey! Where are you going?" Bretant exclaimed when he saw Omag trying to sneak away.

"Uh...nowhere," he alleged.

The boys didn't buy it. "You know where Bianca is!" Letank realized.

Omag grinned deviously, and blew on his fingernails as he leaned against a column. "I might to know where to _find_ her," he corrected, "if..."

"If what?!" they all demanded.

"If the price is right."

Without a word, Bochra lunged for his neck and lifted him high in the air. Omag kicked his dangling feet around in a futile attempt to free himself. The opposing sides all at once went from being bitter enemies to comrades in a common cause.

"Listen well, jelly-belly!" said Letant, "You tell us where to find my daughter—NOW!"

"Yes, and tell me where my son is!" added Bochra, tightening his grip, "Or so help me, I'll roast you at my wife's next _boucherie_!"

Heranal laughed heartily. "He is about the size of a _cochon_, isn't he? You should invite our new friends, Milord, and let Letant shoot him," he threw in as he lit a cigar.

"My family and I will be honored to attend the event," Letant said with an evil smirk.

"Man! Mom and Dad have both gone off their rockers," Bretant whispered aloud to his brother. "I've never seen them like this before."

"Yeah," Letank agreed. "You think Dad would really _eat_ Omag?"

That was all it took to break the Ferengi. "Okay! Okay! I'll talk!" he whimpered. "Just put me down. Please?"

Bochra lowered him back to the ground. "Start talking, butterball."


	6. Sometimes it takes a woman or two

**As always, special thanks to all of those who leave reviews, especially you, General Martok... Yeah, Lorna and I are looking at you, you handsome yellow-toothed wonder you! Yeah, go on with your bad self you.. ok... ok.. ANYWAY.. Here is the latest chapter.**

* * *

Once they had arrived at Holana, there was a small town with many shops and it was not difficult to find appropriate clothes for the evening they had planned. They shopped for Tristan first, where he tried on an array of different clothes from native Bajoran robes to a bright orange suit with ruffles that made Bianca laugh so hard that she had tears streaming from her eyes.

"All you need is a guitar, and three other Señors and you'll have a complete Mariachi band!" She said in between laughs. He had smirked in turn and even did a dance as he turned around in his obnoxious suit.

"You know you like it Bianca; it's obvious that this suit is clearly the winner."

As soon as those joking words left his mouth, the old Bajoran shopkeeper clapped his hands together, "By the prophets, I knew that was the one! Lita! Can we get this gentleman checked out? He will be purchasing the Zissy suit."

Tristan's eyes grew wide and he began to stutter. "Sir.. uh.. that was just a joke! I'm not really going to.. wait a minute!" He said as he ran after the shopkeeper. Bianca on the other hand was laughing so hard that she was doubled over, clutching her stomach and trying to breath. She couldn't remember a time when she had enjoyed herself so much.

Shopping for her however had its entertaining points too, especially since it was quite obvious that the physique of the Bajoran woman was slightly different. Bianca had come out of the dressing room with her cheeks blushing.

"Tristan you're going to have to help me, almost all of their dresses have buttons!" She turned around to prove her point and he let out a surprised gasp.

"Incroyable, mon amour! There must be at least 50 buttons!"

Which he began to work on right away, it was kind of tedious at first but when he realized the job entailed his fingers brushing up against her skin, the task became an enjoyable venture. He felt her intake of breath every time his fingers lingered against her skin. On one occasion he lingered for too long and she turned around and looked into his eyes, and instinct took its course there after as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her deeply, running his fingers through her hair, he loved her hair, her lips, everything.  
Things were becoming too heated, and if someone suddenly walked in and saw them in their current state; it would cause them both a huge embarrassment. She pulled away from him begrudgingly but he pulled her right back.

"Tristan! We're going to.. You want us to get in trouble don't you?!" She said trying to sound serious but failing miserably as she was laughing at the same time. She playfully tried to hit his arm but he dodged it while laughing.

"Sorry, sorry! Ok, I'll stop! He said as he held up his hands to prove that he was in fact not playing around anymore. She narrowed her eyes but turned around just the same and he began to button the rest of her dress… That was until he reached the lower mid-section of the dress.

"Uh.. Bianca…" He said as he tugged on the dress to try to button it. "It won't button anymore."

"What do you mean it won't button?"

"Maybe you can get this in a bigger size." He suggested.

Bianca sighed. "I don't really like this dress all that much anyway; I'll try on another one."

So Tristan unbuttoned the dress and she tried on a nice dark plum dress, it was buttoning fine until he got to the lower mid-section of the dress again. She let out a frustrated growl before she stormed out of the fitting room and glanced at the full length mirror. The dress fit like a glove except for when it reached her butt and it wouldn't close.  
Bianca slapped the front of her forehead while Tristan leaned against the wall and drank in the site of her with a grin.

"Bianca, nobody admires the fine Latin curves you've inherited from your mother more than I do; but it's obviously going to be a problem finding you a dress here in Bajor."

She sighed feeling slightly embarrassed. "Great, what am I supposed to do now?"

He raised a brow as he pushed himself off the wall and wrapped his arms around her. "We can always go back and get that lovely orange suit; who knows, it might look sensational on you."

She wanted to be angry, but the memory of him dancing around in the ridiculous suit had her laughing out loud and soon he joined in on the laughter.

"Everything alright here?" Came the voice of a shopkeeper, she then looked down at Bianca's dress and her eyes grew wide. "Oh dear, that is a problem; I take it you're not of Bajor?"

Bianca nodded while smirking, trying her hardest not to laugh and specifically avoiding looking at Tristan especially when the shopkeeper suggested she try the maternity dresses, which she ended up doing just to see Tristan's amusement.

"We're not even married and already we're shopping for maternity clothes." He said with a smirk. I would love to see the look on my father's face."

Bianca scoffed. "No kidding! My dad would explode!"

He finally buttoned the last button and Bianca turned around to look at herself in the mirror; the dress fit her perfectly. It was a black, full length gown that shimmered in the light. To add insult to injury, the dress had a bow situated right on the lower back mid-section, as if to draw specific attention to that area, but the truth was that Bianca rocked the Bajoran maternity dress and no one would ever think it was given that her stomach looked completely flat.

She left the store with the dress on seeing as she didn't want to even think about having to go through the unbuttoning/buttoning process again. Several women looked at her as she exited the store and then turned around to the shop keeper. "I want the dress she has on."

* * *

The River Cruise left promptly from port at 1900 hours. It was dark by then but the walkway towards the entrance of the ship was adorned with strung pearly-golden lights. Then of course there were the lights off in the distance of the riverfront homes, and the reflection of the stars illuminating the calm waters. A small group of musicians in formal dress were off on the side playing light and whimsical music as the couples boarded the ship. The combination of such a sight excited Bianca to an extent she had never experienced before, even more so since Tristan was the man she was going on the cruise with.

Tristan looked at Bianca proudly, the truth was that she looked amazing in that dress, and already he noticed that she had turned the heads of several young Bojoran men. There was one looking at her now so he raised himself to his full height and wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulder and then looked directly at him in a "she's mine" fashion. The Bajoran had lifted a brow and walked away.

"Tristan?" What is it? She asked noticing the change in him when he touched her shoulder.

"I…." he said and then his face softened. "I'm hungry!" He said with a laugh.

She smiled in turn. "I am too; let's get on the ship then, they're already serving dinner."  
She intertwined her fingers with his and they boarded the ship together.

* * *

"I don't understand it.. Where did we go wrong?" Bea cried to both Comfort and Jan. They came straight away once they found out the news that Bianca had run away.

"It aint your fault honey; she's at that age you know; all them hormones and stress." Comfort replied.

"I… I didn't even see it coming! I'm her mother! I should have known!"

"Can you blame her though?" Jan said. "She's known that boy ever since she was a youngin' it's only natural she'd fall in love with him right?"

"The fact that she fell in love with him doesn't me; what bothers me is that she felt that she had to run away! I would've accepted him, he comes from a very good family, the boy was courteous the times I had met him, so I don't understand why.."

Jan and Comfort looked at each other wearily and Bea caught them. "What? What is it you don't want to tell me?"

Comfort sighed. "Bea; we love you, we're all like family, but you have to admit; your husband…"

Bea blinked. "What about him?"

"He was still treating Bianca like she was a littling" Jan replied. "She's a full grown woman now, she's gonna want to get married too, it's only natural, aint you ever wondered why she done never brought a young man home for y'all to meet?"

Bea thought for a moment. "I just.. I always thought it was because her mind wasn't focused on that sort of thing."

"Awww come on now!" Comfort said with a smirk. "What was going through that mind of yours when you were her age and you saw a dashing young man?"

Bea blushed as she thought about it; had she really ever been that young? How could she have forgotten what it was like?  
She sighed again. "You're right; I have to face up to the fact that, my little girl isn't so little anymore."

* * *

That evening, Bianca had the most spectacular dinner of her life. Not that she didn't enjoy her mother's cooking, or cooking herself. But she didn't usually experience such exquisite dining. Tristan, on the other hand, was quite at home and accustomed to the finer things. Bianca wasn't sure if it was because he was royalty, or because he was part French. Or both.

The host led them to their table on deck, while their luggage was taken to their cabins. Soft, romantic music came from a band at the other end. The music seemed to float along with the warm evening breeze. They could smell their dinner cooking in the galley below every time the door opened.

Upon his first glance at the menu, Tristan giddily put his hand to his heart. "Chef's whim. Those are the best kind of dinners! Would you like to order the wine?"

"No, no," she insisted, holding her hands in the air, "I'll leave that to your expertise."

Before long, the first course arrived. It was Bajoran scallops, in a sort of savory cream sauce. Bianca liked it very much, but was relieved that it was a small portion, as it was an overly rich dish. It was balanced out by the following course, which was a soup made from a fruit that reminded her of raspberries.

Tristan swirled the wine around in his glass, analyzing it mercilessly. Her heart went out to all those who had a part in creating the wine, from the vineyard owners to the bottlers.

"Well?" she couldn't resist asking, "Does it meet your expectations?"

"Hmmm," he answered, still deep in concentration, "It's not bad. But the wine on Nua Briezh is better."

Bianca playfully rolled her eyes. "Well, I _was_ planning to cook for you sometime, but now I'm afraid to."

"No," he said, looking up from his glass. "I would like it very much if you cooked for me, Bianca."

Bianca eyed him skeptically. "I don't do all of this fancy stuff, so you'd better not expect it."

Tristan laughed. "Since I love you, I'm going to tell you a dirty little family secret."

Bianca grinned and leaned forward, so that Tristan's lips were touching her ear.

He gently kissed her and said, "My mother can't cook to save her life."

"Are you serious? But I thought it was a given that _all_ French women cooked."

"Usually, it is. But my mother was more interested in her other lessons. And since she was a princess, she never had to cook." He grinned devilishly, "I had always hoped I'd marry a lady who could."

Bianca blushed deeply. "Ahem, your highness, I haven't accepted you yet," she said, pretending to be coy. In truth, she had just about made up her mind that she was going to marry him, no matter what. Her father would just have to get over it.

"'Yet' being the key word," he answered, fully confident, yet without being arrogant. Bianca looked away and blushed again. Whatever was she going to do with him? Her head spun around with thoughts of what his answers would probably be, had she asked that question aloud.

Next came an elaborate salad. Two forks were placed on the table. "Ah," said Tristan with a smile, "We get to share it. You have to admit, it's quite romantic."

"Will you stop making me blush already?"

"Alright," he said dreamily, "What do you wish to talk about then?"

Bianca thought for a moment, trying her hardest to get her head out of the clouds and back on deck of the enchanting river barge—which, she realized, was about the same as being in the clouds.

"So, what does your father think about the fact that your mother can't cook?" she asked with a flirtatious wink, "My mom insists that's how she ensnared my dad."

"'The quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach,' yes," Tristan chuckled thoughtfully. "He didn't find out that she couldn't cook until_ after _they were married."

Bianca's eyes widened in mirthful surprise, and she covered her mouth with her hand. "Uh-oh."

"Yes," he agreed, "But that's not why he fell in love with her. They were thrown together in the Dominion War. He admired her great courage and strength of character. She could wield a sword and still manage to pull off being a grand lady. Not many women can do that, you know. I suppose he didn't expect to find that in a human."

She looked down sadly. "I'm not any of those things, Tristan."

The main course was placed in front of them. It was Bajoran poultry in mouthwatering gravy, with green vegetable spears elegantly laid across the top.

Tristan ignored it. "Hey," he lifted her chin after the waiter left. "Of course you are! Bianca, you _are_ a grand lady. And you have courage."

"I would be useless in a battle."

"Not all courage is found on the battlefield, Bianca. You are brave. You're studying to be a senator, aren't you? You ran away with me, didn't you?"

Bianca nodded to both questions.

"All of those things take courage," he insisted. "Despite what those perverted psychologists say, I do _not_ wish to marry my mother. I wish to marry you." He leaned closer and caressed her cheek. "Everything about you is wonderful to me. I would do anything to win your heart, Bianca. You are the most bewitching lady I have ever encountered."

Bianca pouted. "Even with my Latin curves?"

Tristan took a long, controlled breath. "_Especially_ your Latin curves. I've loved you ever since we were children."

"Our people do seem to be prone to love at first sight, don't they?" she said softly.

"So it would seem." He stared longingly into her eyes for several seconds.

Just then, the band struck up a lively tune, and several of the other passengers formed a kind of conga line. Without a word, Tristan grinned, grabbed Bianca's hand, and made for the dance floor.

She stopped him. "Tristan! I don't know this dance!"

"Neither do I," he replied with an unconcerned shrug.

"But I don't even know _how_ to dance!" She was terribly afraid of making a fool of herself in front of all those people.

"Just follow everyone else. Come on, it'll be fun." He held out his hand, "Trust me, _cherie_."

Bianca looked deeply into his handsome and captivating green eyes. She did trust him. He had saved her life. And he loved her, he had proven that. He would never hurt or betray her. Yes, she decided silently, she was going to marry him.

She took his hand, and they joined the dance.

* * *

Bea paced back and forth in front of the computer, trying to make her decision. Outside, Letant and Bochra were wringing information out of her sons' unfortunate Ferengi friend. This wasn't a pleasant situation. Not at all.

After a few minutes, she finally decided her course of action, and opened a communications channel to Nua Breizh. She went through two people before she reached the person with whom she wanted to speak.

At last, an elegant, regal woman appeared on the screen. She had beautiful, expressive brown eyes and fair skin. A few silver strands contrasted her otherwise jet-dark hair.

"Lady Guinevere," she greeted her, "You probably don't remember me..."

The lady smiled warmly. _"Actually, I do, Lady Bea. Your sweet daughter was a friend of my son long ago. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"_

Bea cringed inwardly. She didn't know? "Um, it's about our husbands, and our kids."

Guinevere's smile faded. _"Have my husband and son caused you trouble?"_

"Well, I wouldn't say that," she answered sheepishly, "It's more like they're partners in crime."

"_I don't understand..."_

Bea took a deep breath. "My daughter has run away with your son," she said bluntly. "And our husbands are right now waffling back and forth between threatening to kill each other, and threating to kill anyone who gets in their path to finding them."

She glanced out the window. Bochra was holding Omag in the air by the throat, while Letant was ruthlessly grilling him. Letank and Bretant were all the while gawking at each other in disbelief.

"_I see," _said Guinevere. She was quite obviously embarrassed, but not any more embarrassed than Bea was herself.

"I think we're going to have to step into this one. We shouldn't leave this completely up to them." She indicated out the window.

Guinevere of course couldn't see outside the window, but she nonetheless nodded rapidly. She was married to a Romulan as well, so she understood Bea's meaning perfectly. _"Yes, you're right. Stall them as long as you possibly can. I'm on my way there now."_


	7. Chapter 7

**Once again; thanks for all your reviews!**

* * *

Lady Guinevere made her way through the palace front doors as her regal plum colored silk gown trailed behind her. A litter of guards walked behind her until she swiftly turned around and faced them with a severe stare.

"This is a solo trip this time boys; If anyone should ask for me, I _have not_ left planet but am heavily engaged in classified negotiations and cannot speak to anyone, do I make myself clear?"

All of them nodded their understanding but the head guard persisted. "Mademoiselle, are you sure this is a wise choice? At least allow me to accompany you."

She looked at his worried face for several moments before answering in a calm but stern manner. "Tell me Francois, do you have children?"

"Yes my lady, I have three sons." He answered as he bowed towards her.

"And tell me Francois, if something troubling happened to one of them, would you want others to get involved?"

He blinked at her and slowly shook his head, he wanted to ask if something had happened to Lord Tristan but wouldn't dare, there was a line, and he knew not to cross it especially since after all was said and done, he was still just a guard.

She graced him with a small smile. "I thank you for your concern, but I will be fine."  
Without another word, she turned around and exited the palace where she was met up by another guard.

"Get my ship ready Commandant; I'm flying to Romulus as soon as possible."

* * *

Lord Bochra and Senator Letant had moved towards the back yard of his grand estate. They had hog tied Omag, the fat Ferengi to a nearby tree and were scouting out the fire pit.

"We can lay the fire wood here and then place him at a 45 degree angle so that all the juices will drip to the center of the pit." Bochra said. He had much experience in these matters.  
Letant nodded.

"I believe that roasted vegetables would be a good side item with Roast Ferengi." He said as he gave Omag a murderous look.  
Omag in turned squealed. "I told you everything I know! Honestly! Please let me go!"

"Do your cooks know how to make a Demi glace? It will make all the difference in the flavor of the meat." Heranal commented.

"Are you guys listening to yourselves? This has gone on for too long." Lentak said as he pulled a sharp little blade out from the outside of his boot. "Bretant, help me get Omag down."

"Touch him and I will have the guards throw you both out of my property." Letant threatened, and they knew he was not a man to trifle with; he would most definitely follow through with it.

"Dad! Do you see what you're doing?! Ok, so Bianca ran away but you really didn't see this coming? All she ever did day after day is do everything you told her to do without even asking if she liked it or how she felt about it."

Letant marched over to Lentak, seeing such a look on his father's face usually caused him to draw back in fear but this time he held his stance. "What did you say to me boy?"

"Just forget about it." Bretant urged.

"No! He needs to know." Lentak persisted and lifted his chin as he faced his father. "We all love Bianca dad, and we all want what's best for her."

"Yeah! That's why she's going to marry me!" Omag shouted.

Bochra and Heranal looked at each other before they burst out laughing, Heranal in particular falling on the floor and heaving as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Son, what you need is a nice plot of muddy land where you can roll around in filth for hours, besides; what makes you think that the Senator's daughter would even want to marry you?"

"Bretant and Lentak promised me she would be my bride!" He shouted back.

Lentak and Bretant laughed nervously. "Like we would ever do something like that dad."

"Traitors!" Omag squealed as he wiggled around in his bindings.

"You said she would be my wife in exchange for a generous contribution to your businesses! I have a title! I have wealth! And when I get down from here, so help me, I'll make sure all of you pay for this!"

Letant looked at his sons in complete awe. "You were going to sell out your sister for this?" He said as he pointed towards the fat Ferengi.

"You were never going to let her get married dad! And at least Omag had the means to take care of her, as far as we were concerned, everyone would come out a winner."

"Are you two insane!? You really think my angelic Bianca would marry this porker?" Letant shouted as he jiggled the fat Ferengi around.

Bretant sighed. "We didn't really think about that.."

"Damned right you didn't think! That's the problem with you two, you don't think! You are grown men! You should already be married and giving me and your mother grandbabies and all you do is scheme around like adolescent punks with this beastly Ferengi! You're not little kids anymore! It's about time you all grew up!"

"Just like you've let Bianca grow up. She can't even decide her own profession without you telling her what to do, nevermind finding a man for herself, that's why she ran away." Lentak replied. "She's been in love with that Tristan kid since we were little and now that we're grown, is it so hard to believe that they've finally decided to be together with or without your consent? She's going to be with him dad, whether you and Tristan's father like it or not."

Heranal looked at Bochra with wide eyes in a "And we thought we had problems." kind of stare.

Letant sighed and turned around. "Let the fat one go." He sighed, and then sneered at Bochra once more before launching himself at him again: "This is all your fault!"

* * *

Tristan and Bianca stayed up very late that night.

He had been right of course, they could've been doing the belly hop, and nobody around them would have cared, all the couples on the dance floor were too occupied with themselves to notice anyone else around them. Before Bianca knew it, a couple of hours had passed in which she and Tristan held each other as they danced.

Pretty soon they were hungry again and they wandered over to the Ship's late night lounge. It was a dark room lit by the candles that were on the tables and then more lights that illuminated the bar area. There was a man playing a baritone saxophone and another playing the piano. The sound of the smooth jazz lightened the mood and heightened the romantic appeal of their night. They had not been seated for a full minute when a waiter greeted them warmly and handed them menus. "Something from the bar?"

"Just a club soda with lemon for me please." Bianca said. The last thing she needed to do was ruin the perfect night by getting drunk, and she had already had her fair share of wine during dinner.

"Same for me thanks." Tristan replied. He then smiled devilishly towards her and scooted his chair next to hers until they were side by side.

"My darling..." He whispered in her ear. "I don't believe I have ever enjoyed myself as much as I have these past few days with you."

As he said this, he placed his hand over hers. "I do not wish to be parted from you when the cruise is over Cherie." He whispered.

She smiled and whispered back. "What makes you think we'll be separated when we get off the ship Tristan?"

She saw the flicker in his green eyes change and that said it all. It was very likely that by the time their ship docked, their parents would come storming in, ready to separate them again once and for all.

"We're not children Tristan, we're old enough to decide what we want, they no longer have to make those kinds of decisions for us anymore."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. His fingertips caressing her cheek.

"Then we are in agreement? You will stay with me and be my wife?"

"Yes!"Bianca exclaimed passionately.

At first, Tristan wasn't sure he had heard correctly. "Then, will you marry me tomorrow?" he asked after a while.

She smiled. "I was just about to ask you the same question."

But he was still concerned. "Surely, you don't think they can separate us once we're married?"

"No," she shook her head, "They can't! We won't let them! I love you, my Tristan."

"And I love you, ma cherie amour." He held her close, kissing her longingly, and cradling her face in his hands.

They stayed up for a few minutes more, and then they went outside and watched the moonlight flicker off the small waves below the ship. Then Tristan escorted Bianca to her cabin. Before he left, he said, "Tomorrow we'll be in the same cabin." He grinned, knowing full well what a charmer he was.

Bianca giggled and turned her head away, blushing. "Yes. We'll be married. I can't believe it!"

* * *

The next morning, they went to find the captain first thing. They found him at breakfast, with his wife and the senior officers.

"Please, join us, Prince Tristan. It would be such an honor for us." He was a middle-aged Bajoran, with a face that seemed as mysterious and unyielding as the sea itself. Yet his eyes were kind and gentle.

Tristan blinked in surprise. "How did you know who I was?"

"It's my business to know as much as possible about the passengers I take on," he said with a wink. "Besides, if you didn't want me to know who you were, you should have used an alias, my boy."

Tristan snapped his fingers, feeling very much like a fool. "Eh, yes. It's just that I've never had to travel in secret before. I suppose it didn't occur to me." Awkwardly, he seated Bianca, and then took his own seat.

There was a twinkle in the captain's eyes. "Just like your father..."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean you look just like your father." He took a spoonful of his soup. Then he explained as he waved his spoon around. "I was a security officer on DS9 during the Dominion War. Our Klingon tactical officer insulted your mother. Your father responded by punching him, and that led to a particularly nasty brawl, which I had to help break up, by the way." He pointed at Tristan with his spoon.

"My father? In a brawl? But he always taught me that fighting wasn't the answer." He looked to Bianca.

"Well, everyone was young once, Your Highness." He wiped his mouth with his napkin. "So you are determined to get married?"

"Yes," they both answered firmly.

"Hmmm," he stroked his neatly-groomed beard. "Of course, I'll be happy to marry you. But you still need two witnesses."

The captain's wife, who was of a romantic nature, quickly piped up. "Oh, I would be happy to, my darling! It would be my pleasure to help along the course of true love." She was also middle-aged, though very pretty, with laugh lines around her sparkling eyes.

"Thank you, ma'am," Bianca said excitedly.

"That takes care of one," said Tristan, "but what about the other witness?"

The first officer cleared his throat. "With your permission, captain, I'll stand at the prince's side."

"Splendid!" The captain's wife clapped her hands together. "It's settled then! Now, do you have a gown to wear, my dear?"

"I'm afraid I don't," she said, suddenly realizing her predicament.

"Not to worry," she assured her, "You're about my size. You may have one of mine. I have just the one!"

The two women scampered off, leaving their breakfast unfinished.

Tristan pulled out the remainder of his cigars and passed them around. "In honor of the occasion," he announced, "and probably my last smoke, since my wife-to-be doesn't approve of the habit."

"I must say, Your Highness," said the captain after a few puffs, "This is the finest tobacco I have ever smoked." The officers mumbled in agreement.

"I have a supply stowed on board my shuttle. You may have it, Capitaine." He leaned back dreamily, savoring his final cigar, and all the while thinking that marrying Bianca was well-worth the sacrifice.

* * *

Lady Guinevere arrived on Romulus to the most ridiculous sight she had ever seen in her life. Despite the reserve of her upbringing, her mouth fell open.

Her husband was in a fist-fighting/wrestling duel with Senator Letant. On the sidelines, Heranal, a ferengi, and two Romulan boys were watching the match closely, evidently trying to guess the outcome. They were all of them smoking cigars, no doubt provided by Heranal. None of spectators even noticed her approach.

Bea came out of the house and met her. "See what I mean? I've given up trying to stop them, and the others are no help—And now my sons are smoking? Ugh!" Her blood was _really_ boiling at that point. "As tempting as it may be, I just can't call the cops on my own husband, you know?"

Guinevere nodded with understanding. "Yes, but your neighbors might if this keeps up. It really is up to us, isn't it? I had no idea my husband could be so immature! I thought Bochra was past all of this!" She threw her hands in the air in her exasperation.

Bea crossed her arms. "None of this surprises me," she said matter of factly. "This is what I get for marrying a Romulan. But now I'm at the end of my rope. Any bright ideas?"

"Not really," Guinevere sighed. "But I may know someone who can help us—and he doesn't have pointy ears!"

Bea's expression brightened slightly. "Well then, we might actually get somewhere!"

"May I use your comm station?"

"Certainly." Bea moved to lead her in the direction of the house, but not before yanking the cigars out of Bretant and Letank's mouths.

"Awww, c'mon, Mom! Can't we live a little?" they whined.

Bea ignored them and went into the house. She threw the nasty stogies down the garbage disposal and turned on the water.

Guinevere meanwhile sat down in front of the screen. She waited patiently for the man on the other end to answer.

"Hello, Geordi," she smiled sweetly once he activated the link. "I know you're retired from Starfleet, but it possible for you to do me a favor?"

The former engineer of the_ Enterprise_ melted visibly. _"Sure, Guinevere. You know I'd do anything for you and Bochra."_

"I'm looking for my son, Geordi. Do you know how to go about finding him?"

LaForge nodded confidently. _"I can't make any promises, but there are a couple of things we can try."_

* * *

Bianca gracefully walked down the center of the top deck of the ship. It was as though she was walking on air. One of the officers escorted her to where Tristan was waiting for her, along with the captain, his wife, and the first officer. He had borrowed one of the officer's dress shirt and trousers (though not the hat or jacket, as he was not a member of the crew). He looked quite dapper and prince-like.

The dress given to Bianca was a simple, yet stylishly elegant evening gown made of white satin, with lovely rosettes at the shoulder. It was not the sort of dress she would have thought to choose, but she decided she liked it better than what she would have picked on her own. Her dark, wavy hair was pinned out of her face with blue tropical flowers that were the same shade as her eyes. The rest of her silky tresses fell down her back.

When he saw his bride, Tristan's heart skipped a beat. He felt as though time had slowed, if not stopped altogether. She was so incredibly beautiful, as though she had stepped out of a dream or a fairytale. And very soon, she would be his and no other's. For the first time since he was a child, he thought he might actually shed tears of joy. He took in a deep breath. Though he was still angry with his father, he heeded well what he had taught him: a Romulan _never_ weeps for _any_ reason.

Bianca on the other hand, had no such silly qualms. Tears streamed down her cheeks as they exchanged their vows. She felt as though her heart might burst with happiness. At any moment, she feared she might wake up and discover it was all a dream. Yet she knew it was not so. She was really marrying the love of her life.

They promised to love and be faithful to each other forever, and that they would stay together—no matter what happened. And they meant it with all their hearts. No one could separate them now.

After the ceremony, the party shared a cake, which was delicious-even though it had been hastily whipped up by the galley that very afternoon—and a bottle of Bajoran sparkling wine. The couple and their new found friends traded hugs, kisses, handshakes, thank yous, and well wishes. Then the bride and groom were left alone on the deck.

Overall, it was not at all what either of them had imagined it would be like when they got married. But they nonetheless preferred it this way, for the chief reason that they were spared the fiasco it would have been had they gotten married on Romulus or Nua Breizh, assuming their parents would have even allowed them to marry.

"Are you happy with me, Bianca?" he asked as they gazed at the sunset. "You don't have any regrets, do you?"

She threw her arms around her husband's neck and kissed him until they were both breathless. "I've never been so happy in my life! And no, I have no regrets, my Tristan!"

"We can do anything together, my Bianca." With that, he swept her off her feet and carried her to his cabin. "Now you're all mine, cherie," he said with a seductive grin.

* * *

Later on that night, the ship pulled into the final stop of the journey. As she floated to the dock, Tristan and Bianca could see that a small crowd was already waiting for them. They could just make out the faces of their parents, Bianca's brothers, Capitaine Heranal, and a very out of place Omag.

Tristan took his wife's hand. "Here we go..."


	8. We're Married

As soon as Tristan and Bianca departed from the ship holding hands, Letant pointed his finger accusingly towards Tristan at one of the Bajoran's wearing an orange vest and ushering people out.

"Arrest him! He kidnapped my daughter!"

The Bajoran's eyes grew wide. "uhh..."

Bochra shoved him aside and rose to his full height. "The person you need to arrest is that woman who seduced my son!" He said pointing at Bianca.

"That's no way to speak to my wife!" Tristan said in his powerful voice.

There was a loud gasp amongst the crowd, even the Bajoran was in shock with his mouth slightly open.

"It's true." Bianca said as she held her head up high. "We're married, so you all might as well forget about anything you were planning to say or do, we leave Bajor together or not at all."  
She looked up and smiled confidently at Tristan who reassured her by squeezing her hand gently.

Letant barked angrily at Bochra: "This is all your fault!" and again, they began fighting, rolling all over the place and causing the passengers on the disembarking ship to gather around them in a circle. There was a group of people running towards the fight, the man in front was well dressed in some kind of navy colored suit while the people running behind him were carrying camera equipment.  
The man in the navy suit plugged something into his ear and a wire was placed on his shirt collar.

"We're on in three, two,.."

The man in the navy suit smiled handsomely towards the camera's as he began to speak. "Right here on the banks of the Holana river, we have the scene unfolding live. Senator Letant of Romulus fist fighting with Lord Bochra of Nua Breizh."

Bianca let go of Tristan's hand and pushed the people circling her father out of the way in order to get through and yelled: "Dad; stop this right now!" She then forced herself between them so quickly that Bochra couldn't stop the punch he had launched towards Letant and instead it got Bianca. She fell backwards once his fist made contact with her face and thus Tristan immediately came to her aid while Letant launched an angry punch at Bochra for hitting his daughter. Tristan cradled her in his lap before embracing her and trying to kiss her pain away.

"He hit you hard didn't he?" He looked at her cheek and left eye, already they were starting to swell up and the anger inside of him began to bubble fiercely.

"Do you still question why we felt it necessary to get away from you all? We thought there might still be a chance that we could talk things out in a civilized manner, but it's obvious that cannot happen!"

He picked Bianca up bridal style and was about to carry her away when Guinevere and Bea stepped up in a calm manner.

Guinevere smiled up at her son and looked at Bianca with pity. "My son, Bea and I need to speak to you both in private."

"Oh no you don't! I wish to be present as well!" Letant yelled as he ran over to them, but Guinevere looked at him with a stare that booked no room for argument.

"You will have your opportunity, but right now, both you and my husband need to place your tempers aside, you have both caused such a scandal that the entire quadrant knows of our business by now." She said as she looked over in the direction of the media people that were packing up to leave since the fight had ended.

"Because of your behavior, the wife of our son was unnecessarily hurt and it begs the question of who is acting more maturely in this matter." She said as she looked over at her husband in a very grave manner.  
Bochra bowed his head slightly in turn, unable to look into his wife's eyes because he knew she was right.

She turned and they all left, leaving the men feeling shamed into silence until Omag began to sniff the air loudly and exclaim. " Hey guys! I smell donuts!"

* * *

Tristan still had his arm protectively around Bianca when they sat down to talk. He looked at Bea and his mother directly in the eye before saying: "I just want you both to know; no matter what your argument, we are not pulling out of our arrangement, we are legally married now."

Bianca nodded, the area around her eye now turning a dark olive color.

"We don't oppose your union!" Bea finally said. "But what you both did was reckless and irresponsible. You Bianca, do you realize that you have probably ruined your chances of becoming senator now?"

Bianca sighed loudly. "Mom, I never wanted to be senator, dad wanted me to be senator, just like he wanted me to never get married, but this is my life mom, and while I appreciate all that you've done for me, It's time I make my own decisions now."

Bea gasped loudly, looking at her daughter in disbelief before shaking her head. "Why didn't you tell me these things Bianca! Don't you think I ever wondered why you never brought a young man home to meet us? Don't you think I would have understood? I'm human, you're half human."

"Because of dad!" Bianca retorted.

"Honey, you leave your father to me." She said as she looked at Tristan. "I should have known, you and this young man have been friends for so long, I still remember how he use to run after you so much that he had to grab on to his swimming trousers so they wouldn't fall off his rear that time in the lake."

Tristan blushed in turn at the memory. He then looked up at his mom straight in the eye. "Are you upset that I chose not to marry Princess Zoe?"

"Son, don't think I am the last person who should be telling you who you should marry when I myself chose to marry for love as opposed to title?" She then looked at Bianca and smiled.

"I have always known that you loved this girl, I only wish you would have come to me when your father was pressuring you to marry Princess Zoe instead, but either way it is done now, you are both married and I hope that you Bianca, will give consideration to making Nua Brezh your new home in our palace."

Bianca looked up at Tristan before nodding at Guinevere. "We will have to discuss it, and I thank you for the invitation."

Bea couldn't handle it anymore and got up to give her daughter a big hug. "I'm so glad that you're safe, and now that you're married; you can start working on giving me lots of grand babies to spoil!"

Bianca rolled her eyes. "Oh, mom..."

Guinevere placed her hand on Bea's shoulder and smiled warmly. "Don't pressure them. They'll have children when they're ready."

"Of course, of course," said Bea, "I'm just so happy and excited!" She kissed Tristan on the cheek. "You're a good man, Tristan, and I know that you'll take care of my little girl."

Tristan nodded. "Thank you, madame, I'll do my best. It means a lot to hear you say so." Then he hugged his mother.

"Go easy on your father," Guinevere whispered in his ear, "Believe me, he wishes more than any of us that he could undo what has happened."

"He hit my wife..." He bit his lip, but then forced himself to relax. "I'll talk to him."

She smiled again, and tapped his nose playfully. "You two are more alike than you realize. That's why I love you both so much."

"Eh, right." Yet deep down, he knew his mother was right. He _was_ like his father in many ways.

"Now this tiny reception you've had simply won't do..." he heard Bea say as he walked off.

He made his way down the brick path along the bluff, and eventually found his father standing by the railing of an outlook point. Bochra was looking out over the gentle waves of the river, with his hands behind his back. His rigid form was silhouetted against one of the setting moons.

Tristan approached, and leaned on the railing next to him.

"I have come to see that I have grown to be much like my own father," said Bochra, without turning.

"Funny," the other shrugged, "I was about to say the same thing."

"He did not approve of my marrying your mother at first," he continued. "It took a long time for him to come around."

An awkward silence ensued. Tristan had no clue what to say, so he waited for his father to finish. Before his recent marriage, he would have pulled out a cigar during moments such as these.

"My son, I do not wish for things to be the same way between us as they were for me and your grandfather. I...regret what I have said and done over the past few weeks." He held his head high, "Especially for striking your...wife. I hope you realize it was completely unintentional."

Tristan knew full well that what Bochra had just said was not an easy thing to do. Though he was still angry, he knew that he owed it to him to accept the apology. "Yes father, I do know that. And I forgive you." He swallowed. "I have your approval, then?"

"Do you need it?"

"No," he answered firmly, straightening his posture. "But I would like to have it all the same."

"Then you have it." Bochra finally turned to face him. There was pride in his eyes. "You have shown that you are indeed a worthy Romulan, Tristan, and you have earned my respect. I hope I have not completely lost yours."

Tristan nodded, relieved that he had finally proven himself. "You have always been a hero to me, father."

Bochra beamed with happiness. "Then, why don't you properly introduce me to this lady who has captured your heart?"

He and Tristan walked back to where the others were gathered. The women were a gaggle of excitement, planning out what was certain to be a grand celebration. Where exactly those festivities were to be held, however, was still a matter that had yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, Capitaine Heranal and the Bajoran river captain were exchanging various tall tales, while the three boys listened in. Since the women were otherwise engaged, they had taken the opportunity to sneak out the Bajoran skipper's newly-acquired stow of fine cigars.

Letant, however, was not among them. He, like Bochra, had marched off to be alone for a while.

"Lady Bianca," said Bochra politely as he approached her, "if my son loves you, then you must be a great woman indeed. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for my appalling behavior."

Bianca quickly hugged her father-in-law. "Of course I do!" Truly, this was more than she had ever hoped for.

"Welcome to our family." Bochra had not expected her expected her embrace, but he returned it nevertheless.

Suddenly, they heard a sniffing sound. They all turned to see the captain's wife wiping a tear from her eye with her lace handkerchief. "I just love happy endings!" she exclaimed between sniffles.

Omag crossed his arms. "It's not a happy ending for me," he whined, "I lost a lot of money going after her. Serves me right for breaking Rule of Acquisition number 94!" At his companion's curious glances, he supplied, "'Females and finances don't mix.'"

"Ah, quit your belly aching," said Letank, "You have more money than you know what to do with. Besides, I think I know another girl who would be thrilled to meet you."

Omag's face brightened. "Really? Who?"

Letank wiggled his fingers together deviously. "You'll know soon enough."

"Is she the Princess Zoe?" the Ferengi asked, though he thought he had already guessed.

Letank's jaw dropped in surprise. "No—absolutely not! Princess Zoe is mine!"

"We'll see about that!" Omag shot back.

"Yes, we will," he warned.

Heranal laughed. "_A la vache!_ I didn't know _this _was brewing! At least now Milord Tristan doesn't have to worry about breaking any hearts. I would imagine one pair of pointy ears is as good as another in her mind." He gave Letank an encouraging nudge, all the while grinning with his cigar in his teeth.

"You can have her," Tristan chuckled. Then he pulled his Bianca close and kissed her tenderly. "I have already won the only heart I'm interested in."

"I hate to bust everyone's bubble," Bretant interjected," but...um, dad still isn't gonna go for any of this."

"What will we do, mom?" Bianca sighed sadly. "He's right. Dad's never going to accept us."

"Don't worry, my dear," Bea replied with a sly grin, "I'll handle your dad." With that, she went to find Letant.

Bochra turned to Tristan. "My son," he said, "I'll give you a valuable piece of advice I've had to learn the hard way: You can either be right, or you can be happy. For the most part, I've been happy for nearly thirty years." He smirked lovingly at Guinevere, and held his arms open. "Though with a few minor bumps along the way."

Guinevere rolled her eyes and pretended to be annoyed, but allowed Bochra to take her into his arms and kiss her. "Don't worry, young Bianca," he said triumphantly, "Your father will choose to be happy."


	9. Acceptance Doesn't Come Easy

**Lorna Winters and I would like to thank General Martok for leaving behind his peace offering of Venison blood sausages, it's ummm.. interesting...but you're still on your own with regards to Thyme2read dude, we're not going to try and persuade her about you, just saying.**

* * *

Bea found Letant sulking on a bench that faced the river, he had his arms crossed and was pouting, looking at the river as if it were to blame for all the trouble he had recently been through.  
Bea sat next to him but he didn't look at her.

"Sitting out here and ignoring everyone isn't going to solve the problem." She said. He huffed and turned his back to her.  
She got up and sat in front of him.

"It's done Letant; they're married, nothing you say or do is going to change that so you might as well try to be civil about it."

He still wasn't answering, nor even looking at her for that matter but Bea knew her husband and she mentally began counting the seconds until he finally started talking.

"He didn't even come to our home and ask me!" He ground out bitterly.

"You would've said no like you have said to every other thing Bianca wanted and you counseled against."

He stayed silent again for a few seconds but then changed the subject. "There is no chance of her becoming Senator now!"

"Honey." Bea started. "It's not about what you want anymore. Bianca is a grown up woman whether you want to admit it or not. That boy has been in love with her since they were children and nothing gets in the way of love, don't you remember when we were dating? How did your parents react when they found out about me?"

Letant's face grew hard. "They hated you, then they disowned me after we got married."

"You want that kind of relationship with Bianca? It's true that she wont be a Senator anymore, but she's married to royalty! She's going to live in a palace on Nua Breizh and be tended to hand and foot! Isn't that the happy ending all parents want for their children? And consider; she and Tristan will have children; your grand children, what will you do when they come looking to you for love and affection? Are you going to turn them away?"

"Of course not!" He replied, he was still angry but it was subsiding, he had never really thought about that particular prospect and for the first time ever allowed himself to imagine his daughter with children of her own, children that he could spoil to his heart's content since Bea was no longer able to bear anymore babies and their youngest was already a teenager.  
Bea didn't miss a beat and once she saw he was dropping his guard, she grabbed him by the hand and led him back to the group where Bianca immediately hugged her father. They could see his resolve finally break when he finally hugged her back. He finally let her go and looked at Tristan with a hard face, he pointed at him. "The minute I find out that you.."

"Dad!" Bianca yelled. He shook his head. "Sorry, I... " He then looked at Tristan seriously and stuck his hand out to him. Tristan hesitated at first but then gave him a hearty handshake in turn.  
"Take good care of my angel." Letant said sadly.

"I will guard her with my life; I have always loved your daughter very much Sir." Tristan replied.

Letant sighed. "Yeah I know, sneaking around with her behind my back and ..."

"DAD!" Bianca yelled again.

"Fine." Letant replied dryly. He walked off when the women started clucking like busy hens again, planning clothes and food for the big wedding feast. He then looked around and saw Bochra who was smoking a cigar and his face hardened again. He walked over to him and gave him a shove. "So you're paying for the wedding right?"  
Bochra lifted a brow. "The brides family is supposed to do that."

"Like hell! You're royalty, shell out the big credits for your son!" Letant exclaimed as he yanked the lit cigar out of his hand and took a long drag only to have a coughing fit, he then looked at the cigar with disgust and threw it out into the river, watching with satisfaction at Bochra's outraged reaction.  
Bochra narrowed his eyes but was determined to be civil.

"Now I see where your boys get their mischievous side from."  
He ground out, but Letant laughed heartily. "Just you wait until those kids of ours start making babies; old grandpa Letant is gonna give them the run down."

"Not unless granpa Bochra gives them the run down first!" He countered.

"What are _you_ gonna do? Teach them to smoke those nasty cigars?" Letant countered, and that's how the argument started again.

Bretant shoved Lentak and they stared at their father arguing yet again. They both laughed at the same time. "Well, at least they're not fighting anymore."  
Lentak shoved his brother and guided him to the direction of where Tristan was standing, they both knowingly nodded to each other and made their way over to him, each of them extending their hands out to him.

"Tristan! Buddy! Pal! You know, I remember the good ol' days when we all use to play together as children, I always knew that you'd marry our sister!" Bretant said with that same charming smile his father had when he was about to close in on a deal.

Tristan lifted a brow as he took Bianca's hand in his. "Did you now?"

"Of course! Hey listen, since you're taking our father's shining light away from him, how about lessening the blow by going into business with your brothers? Since you're family now we'll cut you in a sweet deal, best property on Rateg at a third of the price, what do you say? Sales are flying but we'll make the exception for you." They both finished with greedy smiles.

Bianca rolled her eyes and was about to tell her brothers what they could do with their scam of a deal when Tristan replied: "You know, there is a property I have been interested in acquiring, but I really don't know if even you guys could actually get it for me."

The charming grin fell off both their faces and was replaced by serious glares. "Name it!" They said at the same time and then Lentak continued. "There is nothing we cannot acquire."

"Well, I really don't know, it's government property; I mean, you would have to really.." Tristan said rubbing the back of his head and then winking playfully at Bianca.

Bretant quickly whipped out a card and handed it to him. "Call us, we'll get you what you want." and then they both walked away talking quickly amongst themselves.

Bianca laughed when she looked at the card, both their smiling faces pictured with a logo underneath it saying:

"Bretant & Lentak Co.; leave the scheming to us." The more she looked at the card the more she laughed until tears started forming in her eyes.  
"They are too much! You're not really going to actually go into business with them are you? They'll just take your credits and leave you flat broke."

"No." Tristan replied with a smirk, "Because I seriously doubt they could actually get the property I would be interested in anyway, and if by some miracle they actually did, then they would deserve a hefty payment."

Bianca slanted her head to the side and looked at him in a questioning manner. "Really?"

Tristan smiled. "But don't worry about that now." He said before he kissed her. "Right now, we have huge celebration to plan."

* * *

It was the third time that Princess Zoe had gone to the palace to try to find Tristan, and each time she walked away with disturbing news. The latest was that they were all off-planet. She knew something was going on, and she feared that it had to do with Tristan.  
She decided to do some investigating and turned on her computer when she got home only to be hit with headline after headline of a series of articles, all concerning Tristan. She could actually feel her heart breaking after she read the first sentence.

"Lord Tristan, son of Guinevere and Bochra secretly weds childhood sweetheart."  
Then there on the screen was a picture of him holding hands with a beautiful looking young woman she had never seen before. She abruptly turned off the screen and succumbed to bitter tears.  
Princess Isabelle entered the room and found her elder sister weeping.

"Why Zoe, whatever is the matter?"

But Zoe couldn't answer her. All she could do was cry, so she turned the screen so that her sister could see the news.

Isabelle held her hands to her mouth and gasped when she saw picture and headline. "Tristan is...married?" She looked to Zoe. "Oh, dear. I'm so sorry. I don't know what to say."

Of Henri Loiola's five daughters, Zoe and Isabelle were the closest in age. They were in fact so close that they were both born in the same year, so everyone liked to joke that they were twins. They looked the most alike, thought the most alike, and had the most similar tastes. They were both born in winter, and were the most accomplished of Henri's daughters.

It was said that they were by far the most beautiful women on Nua Breizh, though Lady Guinevere supposedly was even more lovely in her youth. They had sparkling sapphire eyes that shined like stars, and long, silky blonde hair, which they usually kept in braids down their backs.

"Other men think I'm beautiful and are drawn to me," Zoe sobbed, "Why isn't he?"

Isabelle felt her own tears begin to sting her eyes. "I don't know. It would appear that he has loved this girl for a long time." Unknown to Zoe, she had also been attracted to Tristan. But when she learned of her sister's feelings for him, she chose not to reveal that fact. Her sister's wishes were far more important to her than any man could ever be.

"His mother married unwisely too, if you'll recall," she said, trying to make Tristan appear less desirable. But it wasn't working, and they both knew it.

"Oh, Izzy, my heart is broken!" Zoe threw herself into her sister's arms and cried harder. "I fear I'll never be happy again!"

"Yes you will," Isabelle insisted. Her tears were now flowing freely. "Remember what mama always says: One never knows what the future will hold." She tried to believe her own words. She had to be strong. In addition to her own broken heart, she now had her sister's to try to mend.

* * *

Bretant rubbed his hands together in eager anticipation. "So brother -in-law Tristan thinks he can challenge us, does he? We'll show him, won't we?" He looked over at Letank. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Hmm? What?" Lentak snapped out of his reverie. "Oh, yeah, right. No way he can put one over on us!"

"Ok, brother, spill it!" he demanded, "What are you thinking about?"

Letank sighed. He knew full well there was nothing he could hide from his closest brother. "I'm thinking about Princess Zoe. I've decided that I'm going to marry her."

"What?!" Bretant gawked, "You haven't even met her! Man, what if she's a dog?"

"I don't have to meet her. She's a princess. Think of the possibilities." He leaned back on the bench and put his feet up on the table. "And I know for a fact she's not a dog. Tristan told me so."

Bretant crossed his arms. "Oh, so you're going to go marry a princess and then leave me a bachelor, are you?" He shook his head. "How do you know Tristan isn't just trying to drop her off on you?"

"That's precisely what he's doing, actually. But I have no objections." He smiled dreamily. "As for you, you're just jealous because I thought of the idea first."

Bretant still wasn't convinced. "If she's so 'drop dead gorgeous,' why didn't he marry her?"

"Because he loves Bianca, of course. Duh! Besides, he doesn't like blondes."

"Ok..." he began to consider the scheme seriously for the first time, "So what makes you so sure she's gonna go for you?"

"You heard the capitaine. All I need are my pointy ears," Lentak said confidently. "She'll forget all about Tristan the instant she sees me."

"Well then, the question remains, where do I fit into all of this?"

Lentak waved his brother's concerns away as though they were trifles. "Oh, I'm sure she has a serving maid you can marry."

"Just a damn minute!" Bretant stamped his foot. "I'm not going to marry some serving maid!"

"Don't say I didn't make the offer..."

"You're so full of crap!"

Lentak covered his mouth as he yawned. "Just wait until I'm married to Princess Zoe. Then we'll see who's full of crap."

"Yeah, right! I'm gonna die laughing when she rejects you!"

Now it was Bochra and Letant's turn to laugh.

"We're just one big happy family, aren't we, my old friend?" Bochra observed sarcastically.

"Ah, yes, Lord Bochra, my old friend. Here, have a glass of kali-fal with me." He opened the bottle and poured them each a glass. "You see? I told you it would all work out."

Bochra chuckled as he accepted the glass. "Ahem, I beg your pardon, old friend, but I believe it was _I _who told _you_."

Letant's smile disappeared. "You most certainly did not, you upstart lowlife! Just because you married royalty doesn't mean you are royalty! Stop acting like you're better than you really are!"

"Why, you slithering snake of a politician!"

The women abruptly stopped their talking and gave them dirty looks.

Letant and Bochra chuckled sheepishly, and pretended to toast. The women went back to their planning.

"Let's take this elsewhere," Letant said quietly, plastering a fake smile on his face, "unless you're afraid, _Lord _Bochra."

"Unlike you, _Senator_," Bochra said through the side of his mouth, "I spent a number of years in the Star Navy. I'm not afraid of anything."

They made their way toward the riverwalk. "All you did during the war was provoke Klingon dignitaries while you sipped your water!" Bochra continued, "It was the military that did the _real_ fighting!"

When they reached the stairs that led to the walkway, Letant gave the other a mocking bow. "After you."

"No, no. I insist, after _you_."

"Very well, we'll go together." They started down the steps, side by side.

"Hey you two," Bea called, "Don't go running off. It's time to leave! We have lots of work to do!"

Letant stopped and glared at Bochra. "We'll settle this later," he said in a low voice.

"Whenever you think you're up to it," Bochra shot back.

"My love," Guinevere called, "Will you help me with this guest list?"

"Anything for you, my fair Lady," he said gallantly, narrowing his eyes at Letant afterwards.

"I see someone is 'choosing to be happy,'" Letant taunted.

"Well," he smirked, "some of us learn faster than others."


	10. Chapter 10

It felt as if they had been at the ship's dock for an eternity to Letant, he was getting antsy and pulled Bea from the hen clucking and whispered in her ear in that voice he knew she liked.  
"Don't you think it's about time we started to head back home?" He whispered and caressed the side of her face.

"Huh? Well... I guess, but the wedding plans!" She replied. She was already starting to get convinced he knew.

"That can wait till tomorrow surely." He whispered again, this time his lips caressing the tip of her ear. He heard her intake of breath and smiled triumphantly. Finally, they were going home.  
He gently pulled away from her and turned to Bianca, already pulling her along with him.

"Come on my young one, we're going home."

Tristan's eyes flashed and he quickly pulled her back with her free hand. "With all due respect, she's coming home with me, we're already legally married."

He stopped and looked between the two of them when realization dawned on him yet again, he really was having trouble accepting that his little girl belonged to someone else now. He saw the look in Tristan's eyes and saw desire as he looked at Bianca, that possesiveness that he too had for his Bea and it boiled his blood.

"You've had my daughter... YOU!" Letant practically growled as he swiftly let go of Bianca and was marching over to Tristan like a bull having seen red.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Bretant and Lentak said cutting in. "Dad come on, they're married. Did you stay away from mom when you guys first got married?"  
Letant narrowed his eyes at his sons but said nothing as he turned away.

"I'm leaving for the ship!" He yelled as he stormed off without looking back.  
Once he was gone, Bretant and Lentak smiled mischievously towards Tristan. "No need to thank us brother." They said as they patted him on the back, they then followed their father and shortly after the mom's came over.

"So you're bringing Bianca home to Nua Breizh then?" Lady Guinevere asked.

Tristan held Bianca's hand tightly as they both nodded. "For now yes."

Lady Guinevere raised a brow. "You understand that much commotion will ensue once we return, are you both prepared for it?"

"We're together, that's all that matters." Bianca replied.

Guinevere smiled and nodded. She then turned to Bea and extended an invitation for them to spend a few days in Nua Breizh themselves. It would be easier to plan the wedding celebration in this way.

"I have to speak to Letant about it first, but I think I can convince him to at least let me and the boys stay. I don't know that he'll be able to take leave from work since he's already been absent for a while now. It'll be better if stays since our other kids still have school back on Rateg."

Lady Guinevere smiled. "You are indeed a courageous woman to run such a sizable house hold."

* * *

They arrived in Nua Breizh and just as Bea had predicted, Letant went back home to Rateg alone to: "Face the music" as he so put it. Bea was a bit worried about him since Bianca's running away with the Prince of Nua Breizh had probably made headlines, and not to mention the very public fight he got into with Bochra would be viewed extremely distasteful.

It turned out to be true of course much to Bea's dismay. They had not been in Nua Breizh for ten minutes when already they were reading headlines about Letant's possible termination due to irreparable conduct and mis-representing the Romulan Senate .

"I should go to him, try to make things right." Bochra said to Guinevere when they were alone.

Guinevere raised a brow. "So, you do care."  
Bochra narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't care about him per say, but I care about Tristan and his new bride, and if anything happens to that dastardly old man everyone will be unhappy, and I will never hear the end of it."

Guinevere cradled Bochra's face and looked deep into his eyes before giving him a deep kiss. She ran her fingers through his hair and smiled. "Do what you must my husband. I'll make sure everything runs smoothly here."

He smiled and kissed her back. "You sure you can withstand Princess Zoe and her family alone?"

She smiled. "Everything will be fine."

* * *

After a few days of space travel, the party arrived at Nua Breizh. Bianca wasn't tired from the travel in the least, and she wanted a tour of the castle of San Mihael.

"Oh, Tristan! Your home is so beautiful!" Bianca exclaimed, "I can't understand why you would ever wish to leave it!"

"To go see you, of course, my beautiful bride." Tristan held her close as they stood on the large stone balcony of the castle, looking out over the spring landscape below.

Bianca looked down at the meandering river, and saw the Bajoran captain and his wife strolling past the flowering trees along the bank. "I'm so glad they came, too."

"As am I." His smile faded. "You would like to make our home here, I take it?"

"It's awfully tempting," she thought for a moment, "But let's not make a decision about that just yet."

"To make sure that we're on the same page, I don't care where we live, so long as we're together."

Bianca nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder. "We are on the same page, my love. And, I think I want to have our wedding celebration here on Nua Breizh."

"Truly?" His expression became hopeful. Clearly, he had wanted it from the start, but he had heard all about women and their "dream weddings," and he didn't want to impose his own will on his new wife.

"Yes," she answered excitedly, "I've always wanted a fairy tale wedding celebration in a castle!"

Tristan kissed her gently. "Then that is what you shall have, my princess."

"Princess?" she blinked.

"Of course. You're my wife now, aren't you? That makes you a princess by our laws."

Just then, the butler appeared. "Ahem, Milord, Milady. Dinner is served."

When they came to the dining hall, everyone was already there, except for Zoe and Isabelle.

"Would you check on the girls, François?" Guinevere asked the butler.

"But of course, Milady," he answered. But he had no sooner turned when Isabelle appeared.

Omag, Letank, and Bretant's jaws all dropped when they saw her. Bea nudged them as a reminder to mind their manners.

Isabelle cleared her throat and pretended not to notice. "Please forgive my tardiness," she said as she made for the seat across from Bretant. "And also, Princess Zoe desires me to say that she regretfully will not be able to attend dinner this evening. She is unwell."

"Poor thing! I hope it isn't serious. Should we send a doctor?" asked Bea.

Guinevere was about to ring the bell again, but Isabelle interrupted her.

"No, merci, Madame," the girl answered, "she says she just needs some rest."

"Well, rats!" Letank hissed, crossing his arms.

"Ooo! Rejected!" Omag whispered.

"See? What did I tell you?" teased Bretant. He received another reminder from his mother.

"What a fine table you keep, Lady Guinevere," Bea said, in an attempt to change the subject.

"Wait until you taste the dinner," said Tristan.

Guinevere smiled in agreement. "My son is quite correct, Lady Bea. Anatole is the best chef in the galaxy, and he cooks exclusively for us."

Omag was still snickering when Isabelle sat down. The first course was then served, which was a chilled raspberry, strawberry, and coconut soup.

Bretant smirked when he noticed that Isabelle's cheeks were getting redder by the minute—they were as pink as the bowl of soup in front of her. It was plain to him that Zoe wasn't sick, she just didn't have the guts to come and face Tristan and Bianca, so she sent her sister. This girl, on the other hand, had spunk. He rubbed his hands together under the table in anticipation. Yes, this Isabelle would do very nicely as his wife.

Letank continued to pout, but soon hunger got the better of him. He joined Omag in eagerly devouring the plate that had been placed in front of him. Normally, Bretant would have done the same thing—except that Princess Isabelle was sitting right across from him.

"Your brother has quite an appetite," she observed diplomatically.

Bretant chuckled nervously. "Yes, it's his way." He politely dipped the spoon into his soup.

"Are you not hungry, too...Monsieur?"

"Bretant is my name, Princess. Of course I am," he said, with a little more confidence. "But unlike these guys," he pointed to Letank and Omag, "I have more refined table manners."

Letank laughed and choked on his soup. "Uh, yeah, sure you do." His brother stomped on his foot. "I mean, sure he does!"

Isabelle giggled behind her napkin. "I can certainly see the resemblance."

"We're brothers."

She giggled again. "Yes, you said that already."

"Oh, I did, didn't I? You have a beautiful smile, Princess," said Bretant with his most charming grin, "if I'm allowed to say so, that is."

"Nice recovery," mumbled Omag.

"Oh," she brought her napkin up to her face again, "Thank you."

* * *

After dinner, Letank picked some spring flowers from the obliging meadow outside and went up to see Zoe. He wasn't going to let her alleged illness to stand in his way. Soon, they would be planning a double wedding celebration! He made his way up the large staircase, and found her bedroom door at the end of a stone hallway.

Without even bothering to knock, he threw open the heavy wooden door. "Princess Zoe, I have journeyed from afar to seek your hand!"

Zoe screamed. "What?! Who are you?" As he predicted, she wasn't sick. She wasn't even lying in the bed. Instead, she was sitting at her dresser mirror, putting her long blonde hair up in a bun.

"I am Letank," he announced, "the man who will be your husband."

"But...but, you don't even know me—and I sure don't know you!" She threw the nearest shoe at him. "Get out of here, you nasty hop-toad!"

"I know _of_ you," he nimbly dodged the flying footwear, which made her insult an accurate one, "and that is enough for me."

Zoe blinked in surprise, and forgot about her anger at his sudden intrusion. "Who told you about me?"

"Why, my new brother Tristan, of course. And I must say, I can see now that he wasn't exaggerating."

Meanwhile, Bretant had convinced Isabelle to walk out onto the balcony with him.

"I think you're as brave as you are beautiful, Princess Isabelle," he blurted out.

Isabelle shyly looked back at him. "Why do you say that?"

"It's obvious that you loved Tristan, but you didn't want to stand in your sister's way. I can relate to that. It seems like I'm always making concessions for my brother. But in this case, I'm not going to make any concessions," he took her hand into his, "you're mine."

"What?" Her surprise turned to complete shock.

He brought her hand to his heart and got down on one knee. "I'm asking you to marry me, Princess."

* * *

**The troublesome duo sure are quick to go after what they want aren't they? You think it will turn out the way they plan? ;-) **

**That was Lorna's idea too, she's so awesome!**


	11. Nothing is ever so easy

Bochra had arrived in Rateg bright and early where he was escorted by several guards to the senate building. There was hardly anyone there as it was still early. The guards remained outside while he moved about swiftly through the building as if he had been there a dozen times before until he finally reached his destination; Letant's private chambers.  
He knocked once before opening the door and allowing himself in, not at all surprised to find Letant slumped over his chair and squeezing a neon green stress ball his son Lavan had given to him when he was still a pre-teen.

Bochra watched silently as Letant looked at the ball thoughtfully. Letant remembered the very day he had given it to him; a human device said to relieve stress. Janak; the daughter of Vreenak and Jan had been the one to recommend it to Lavan, the two had always been inseparable since they were babies growing up together. It was plain as day that they would eventually end up getting married in a couple of years, that much he was able to discern and yet he had failed to see it so clearly with regards to his daughter Bianca.  
He began squeezing the ball harder until he angrily threw it across the room and it knocked down a small painting Bea had painted for him as an anniversary gift. It was an Earth Parisian landscape that they had once visited when they were engaged to be married.

"I have come to be of assistance." Bochra finally said.

Letant remained slumped in his chair for a few seconds and then got up and walked over to his cabinet where he pulled out a bottle containing the all too familiar liquid – no not water.

"You've probably wasted your time coming over here; I think this is it for me." He replied bitterly as he began to pour into two glasses.

"How can you say that, after all the years of service you have provided?" Bochra replied as he accepted the glass handed to him.

Letant laughed bitterly in turn. "You think they care about that? You have been gone a long time haven't you?" He laughed a bit before sitting down again.

"I'm not a young man anymore Bochra." He sighed and leaned back as he swirled the contents of his glass around so that the aroma wafted in the air.

"There is new, and eager blood who would have bribed their mothers soul away for a chance at the Senator's chair and then this happened."

He shook his head. "The hearing is just a formality, part of Romulan law, but we all know that I will be removed, and if they're gracious they will hide the truth from everyone say that I have simply decided to retire and that will be it."

"Would that really be so terrible?" Bochra asked as he sipped his drink.  
Letant gave him an incredulous look, he was about to snarl at him but Bochra continued to speak.

"Honestly, would it be so terrible to retire? After all is said and done, you are a very wealthy man, you have a wonderful family - an expanding family who need you now more than ever. Perhaps it has not happened in the best circumstance, but perhaps it is the life change you need at this point in your life."

Bochra put his glass down and stood up directly in front of Letant, his face completely serious. "Initially I came here with the intention to clear your name, which I will still help do if you wish it, but I would be remiss in my duty if I did not also say to you that it is my belief that you have served the Romulan Senate well throughout the years, you paid your dues to our great society, and now maybe it's time that you concentrate the energies that still remain to what matters most now; your family.

Letant smirked as he swirled his glass yet again. "That would throw them for a loop wouldn't it? We walk in, they'll all be expecting me to come kneeling, and begging to not be canned..." He laughed heartily then and smiled up at Bochra.

"You know, you're not the blubbering jackal I made you out to be after all."

Bochra raised a brow, but was obviously not impressed. "Praise indeed."

* * *

Bretant and Lentak both walked out of the palace with green marks on their cheek and their ego's greatly deflated.  
Bretant looked over at his brother as he gingerly tried to smooth over the pain on his cheek.

"She said no to you too?"

"Yeah." Lentak grumbled.

"Man! What gives anyway? I thought these women would go crazy once they saw our pointy-eared handsome faces! They must be insane to turn us down!"

There was a sudden burst of laughter, and both of them turned around to see Omag laughing so loud that his rolls would bounce in time with his laughs. "Amateurs, you'll see how a real man takes on matters of love!"

"No, no, no, Omag, offering to roast her over an open fire will definitely not be romantic." Lentak replied before both of them burst out laughing.

"That's right, laugh it up; you'll see who ends up getting the Princess."

_15 minutes later... _

Bretant and Lentak heard footsteps, they turned around and immediately burst out laughing when Omag had come back, his face and clothes completely smeared in mud.

"So I take it that it went well, when are you engaged to be married Omag?" Bretant joked.

"Shut Up! I wouldn't want to marry them anyway! Stupid, arrogant, pig-headed human women is what they are!" He said before he disappeared down the hall.  
Bretant stayed staring at him and it suddenly dawned on him.

"We've been going about this the wrong way brother."

Lentak raised a brow. "Really? How's that?"

Bretant nodded. "We have. I think it's time to move on to other tactics."

"Such as?" Lentak inquired.

Bretant smirked in a self-satisfied smirk before he replied: "Playing hard to get."

Lentak shook his head and sighed. "I don't know, these women seem different."

* * *

"_A la vache_! My mother has certainly gotten carried away with this, hasn't she?" Tristan looked around the great hall at the whirlwind of activity as everyone prepared for the grand celebration.

"_Your_ mom?" said Bianca, "What about my mom? See, she's got a hand in this, too!"

They watched Bea and Guinevere flit around excitedly, like two butterflies in a vast meadow, unable to decide which flowers to drink from first. Even the princesses Zoe and Isabelle had temporarily forgotten their woes, and were getting into the spirit of things.

"Oh my gosh!" Bea exclaimed over the hustle and bustle, "This is just perfect!"

Guinevere and the princesses rushed over to see the centerpiece she was admiring. "_Oh, cher!_ _Oui_, it's perfect! You have excellent taste, Lady Bea!"

Bianca turned to her husband. "See what I mean?"

Just then, the trio of trouble-makers rushed up to them.

"Hey, Bianca," said Bretant, "it's about time you two got up today!"

Lentak agreed. "Yeah, it must be nice to not have to do any work!"

"What are you talking about?" Omag objected, "You've never done any work in your life!"

Bianca laughed. "For once, Omag, I agree with you."

"Hey-"

Guinevere moved past them, but then stopped when she remembered something. "My children," she hugged them. "Your fathers have worked things out for the moment and they're on their way! Omag, _cher_, do me a favor?"

"Anything for you, my Lady," he said with a wink.

"The Ferengi ambassador is arriving at this very moment! Go greet him and show his party to their suite." Without waiting for an answer, she was off again.

"Good grief!" said Lentak, "They even invited the Ferengi ambassador, too?"

"Who's next? The praetor's dog?"

Omag put his hands on his hips. "It shows your mom has good taste. You two are welcome to tag along, since you're my groupies," he yawned nonchalantly, "and since you don't have an important job to do."

"Whatever!"

But there was nothing better for them to do, and the princesses were too busy to notice them at the moment. So they followed him anyway.

The ambassador was emerging from his shuttle when the trio arrived at the landing pad. "My, my!" he said as he admired the beautiful spring trees and flowers, "Nice place they've got here. I should look into investing in the local real estate." He snapped his fingers at his assistant, "Make a note of that."

Omag approached him. "Welcome to Nua Breizh, Ambassador."

"Ah, and they've sent a Ferengi to greet me! These people have class!"

Omag's eyes turned from the dignitary to a Ferengi girl, who appeared at the end of the entourage. The diplomat didn't miss a beat.

"Ya wanna marry my daugher, eh? That depends on how much you're willing to pay, sonny!" He flashed a greedy, green grin, revealing his fondness for Slug-o-Cola.

The girl smiled at Omag, then hurried down the platform. "That's right!"

"You keep out of this, Primadora! You don't have the lobes for this sort of thing! Leave the business to us males!"

Omag eagerly rubbed his hands together. "Finally! A courtship that actually makes sense!" With that, they delved deeply into the negotiations right on the spot.

Lentak and Bretant looked at each other. "Ok..."

"Yep, we know when we're not wanted."

"Come on, let's go find something else to do."

* * *

Tristan smiled flirtatiously at Bianca. "It looks like your brothers have taken a fancy to my cousins," he observed, stroking her soft hair.

"I've noticed that. I _guess_ we should help them out. They're never going to get anywhere on their own."

"Probably not," he chuckled. "But leave my cousins to me, _ma belle femme_." He kissed her and then went on his mission.

Bianca watched him go with a contented sigh. She was so happy. She couldn't believe any of this was real. Tristan was the perfect husband. At long last, her dreams were coming true.

Now if only her brothers could find the same happiness. As annoying as they were, they were still her triplets, and there was a special bond between the three of them as a result.

She searched around the castle and after a while found them sulking on a bench in the garden.

"Guess Omag is going to get married before we will after all..." sighed Bretant.

"Yeah..."

"Are you giving up already?" Bianca scolded them. "If you ask me, you're going about this whole thing the wrong way."

"Eh, what do you know, Bianca?" Lentak whined.

Bretant waved her away, "Yeah, you're nothing but a sister."

Bianca crossed her arms, "Yes, and as such, I'm also a woman. So you should listen to what I have to say, since my perspective is more in tune with the princesses' than yours."

Lentak looked at Bretant. "I guess she's right..."

"Fine, sis. Spill it. We'll listen."

"Okay, here's what you need to do." Bianca clapped her hands together and explained things to her less-astute brothers. "First, you need to think of ways to please them. All you've done up to now is vex them."

"We don't know how to do that," the brothers admitted.

"That's why I'm telling you! You need to sit down and write a letter to them declaring your intentions."

"What do we write?" Bretant complained, "We don't know anything about writing letters to girls!"

Bianca groaned. "You went to the finest schools in Rateg!" She calmed herself. "Okay, say that they've made an impression on you, and that from the instant you saw them you wanted to marry them. Say that they've become like rose bushes entwined around your hearts."

"That's cheesy! No self-respecting wise guy would ever say that!"

"Well, see how far that attitude has gotten you?"

"Wait! Wait! Okay, we'll do it..."

Meanwhile, Tristan went to look for the princesses. They were in the middle of arranging flowers around the centerpieces Bea had picked out.

"My cousins," he greeted them, "May I have a word?"

The girls nodded awkwardly, and Tristan pulled up a chair from a nearby table.

"I'll be frank," he began. "I've noticed that my brothers-in-law have shown interest in you both."

Zoe and Isabelle exchanged glances, but allowed him to continue.

"I know they seem like blundering idiots—and I admit sometimes they are—but there's more to them than meets the eye. I think you should give them a chance before you hastily brush them aside without a second thought."

Zoe didn't want to even meet his eyes, so Isabelle spoke. "Let me be equally candid, Prince Tristan. Our parents are not as understanding or indulgent as yours. They will not allow us to marry an off-worlder."

Tristan shrugged. "They are half-Romulan, as am I. I don't understand."

"But you are of Nua Breizh," Zoe interjected, looking at him finally, "The royal blood flows through your veins. It isn't that they aren't human. They are commoners."

Tristan entered into his diplomatic mode. "I understand that argument, and it's a fair one," he conceded. "However, you should consider that my uncles' two sons are the last of the Allaire line. Our families are the only royal families that remain of the old blood lines. If you marry our cousins, your children will have to marry non-royalty anyway, since there will be no more royal families left on our world anyway. Unless you _want_ them to inbreed with each other?"

He raised a warning brow, then paused for a few moments to let them ponder over his words.

At last, Isabelle spoke. "You make a valid case, cousin. But you don't know our father like we do."

"I have known him long enough to understand him, though. He is like my father-in-law. Give him time, and he will come around."

"We will not marry without our parent's permission like you did, Tristan!" Zoe insisted. It was plain that she was still feeling the sting of rejection.

Tristan forced himself to be patient. "I'm not suggesting that-"

"What are you suggesting?" she interrupted.

"I'm suggesting that you simply expand your current mode of thinking and look to the future. That is the mark of a great leader, as you two will both someday become."


	12. A Thing About Romulan Men

**Lorna Winters and I would like to thank all of you for your reviews and comments... even you General Martok.. oh and yeah, you too Chex :-)**

* * *

"Are you kidding me? How are you engaged already?" Bretant exclaimed only a couple of hours after Omag had met Slugina, the Ferengi girl who had accompanied her father the ambassador to Nua Breizh.

"I think the better question to ask is how much did he have to pay for her!" Lentak replied.

"Talk all you want." Omag mumbled as he tore open a package of pink twinkies and ate them whole. "The fact is that I'm going to marry Slugina."

Bretant and Lentak looked at each other with blank expressions before they burst out laughing so hard that they were holding their mid-sections and trying to ward off tears.

"Is that really her name? Slugina? Holy cow, that's rich!"

Omag crossed his arms and huffed angrily. "Her father named her that specifically because…"

"Of his love for Slug-o-cola!" Bretant interrupted before he and Lentak were howling in laughter again.  
Omag blinked and unfolded his arms. "Were you two eavesdropping?"

"Omag… I… Stop it! I can't laugh anymore!" Bretant heaved as he tried to breathe, but the laughter was too much.

"Can you picture it Lentak? Omag and Slugina at the altar when they announce: "I now pronounce you Slugs husband and wife."

"I always knew you'd marry a slug Omag!" Lentak replied and both brothers fell on the floor from laughing so hard. It was quite the scene when Zoe and Isabelle walked in. Zoe lifted her chin and folded her arms in front of her before loudly replying: "Well at least he is going to get married which is more than I can say for you two."

Bretant and Lentak rose their heads at exactly the same moment and bumped each other hard which only further embarrassed them in front of the devastatingly beautiful princesses who had arrived unexpectedly and had been watching everything.  
Omag smiled and showed off his pointy yellow teeth. "Revenge is so sweet, I'll leave you all alone to talk." He said before he walked off in search of his future bride.

"Now just wait a minute!" Bretant exclaimed. "You seem to keep catching us during our worst for some reason, I'm sure if you gave us a chance, you'd come to admire our other qualities."

"I don't know, it seems that all you two do is fool around like a couple of teenagers!" Isabelle replied hotly. "I don't know why we bothered listening to Tristan with regards to you two! "

"Quite right, we should leave them be to their childish games and jokes." Zoe said as she was already making her exit.

Lentak's smile vanished and he took on a more serious appearance. He looked so similar to the way his father looked when he was about to strike up an amazing business deal. "Forget about them Bretant, it's obvious we're not good enough for them."

Bretant shot him an incredulous look but Lentak signaled back that he should follow his lead, so he did.

"Hmmm. I guess you're right. They need not worry about us trying to chase after them anymore since they're obviously too good for us humble half breeds."

"Now wait a minute!" Isabelle said as she spun around. "Don't you dare make us out to be the wrong one's in this!"

"I'm simply stating a fact. Do you or do you not only wish to marry into royalty? Our stature would never meet your requirements." Lentak said as he dusted himself off from the debris he had collected from rolling on the floor previously.

He looked at his brother and signaled to him. "Come on, we need to try and acquire this land that Tristan thinks we can't obtain, instead of plaguing her highnesses with our presence." He then turned around to the young women. "No need to worry about us anymore girls, we'll leave you alone."

Zoe crossed her arms and in her most serious tone said: "The two of you were never something my sister and I ever worried about to begin with, do as you wish."

Hidden from view and having watched the entire thing was Tristan and Bianca. They both looked at each other and sighed.

"Well, it seems it's not going to happen after all." Bianca said sadly. Her brother could be such twerps, she was upset at how they had totally messed things up for themselves this time. Tristan was nodding in agreement but still looking at the scene before them when he noticed Zoe turn to her sister. "They walked away from us, did you see that?"

Isabelle nodded. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Well yes, of course but…" Zoe stammered.

"But?" Isabelle continued and then a smirk formed on her face. "I'll be damned; you like him after all don't you!"

Zoe rolled her eyes. "That's absurd; everything that has happened since Tristan ran off is absurd!" She said and hastily walked out of the room with her sister following close behind her.

Tristan smiled at Bianca and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Things might just get interesting after all."

OoOooO

"The flitter." Bea said with a smirk on her face as Guinevere and the Captain's wife gasped in shock and then laughed deviously. "That Romulan couldn't even wait until we got to the hotel room, which was the first time that we…" She smirked again and laughed as she held up her wine glass. "What's in this stuff anyway Lady Guinevere? I've only had one glass and I already feel giddier than a school girl!"

"Fruits ferment differently here in Nua Breizh, and therefore our wines have a much higher alcohol content." She replied as she refilled her own glass.

"What did you say this was called," the Captain's wife asked, "'La Fin du Monde'?"

Guinevere nodded. "And that's exactly how you'll feel tomorrow if you drink too much," she warned.

Zoe and Isabelle meanwhile crept across the cobblestone path that led to the garden terrace where the women were sitting and gossiping.

"Now don't be shy, Lady," they could hear the Captain's wife say, "It's your turn now. Bea and I have told you our tales. It's _your_ turn."

The girls stopped dead in their tracks just behind a large bush.

"This should be enlightening," Isabelle whispered. "Maybe we can get an idea of what it's like to be married to a Romulan."

"Yes!" Bea giggled, "Where did you meet Bochra? Tell us!"

Guinevere's expression became serious. "On Romulus, when I was married to the Romulan ambassador to Nua Breizh."

The other women's eyes grew wide. Zoe and Isabelle exchanged glances.

"Remember?" said Zoe, "That's why she didn't marry papa—the first time."

Isabelle nodded, and they continued to listen.

"I had no idea you were married before..."

"Did you love him?" asked Bea, going right for the kill.

Guinevere took a thoughtful sip of her wine. "I hardly knew him. We were married only three months before he was killed, by Bochra's commander."

Now the other women gasped.

"You must have hated him," said the Captain's wife, "I would have."

"Well?" Bea prodded, "How did you go from hate to love?"

"The war with the Dominion took care of that. We kept bumping into each other." Now she smiled, "It was as though our fates were intertwined. As I got to know him, I learned that he had nothing to do with my husband's death, that he was an honorable man after all."

"So did he set his sights on you from the start?" She playfully nudged the Captain's wife, "That's what Letant did to me. He never quit. Mark my words, when a Romulan man sets his sights on something, he usually gets it."

The Bajoran smiled back wickedly. "Consider them marked." She turned to Guinevere. "Please continue," she said eagerly.

Guinevere blushed. "Well, he _did_ want me, but I was married to his superior's political rival. And even after I became...available, he still was hesitant. He thought I was in love with my bodyguard."

"Were you?" they asked at the same time. By that point, nothing would have surprised them.

"No! Bochra just thought I was."

"Good grief, it looks like Bochra was the last one out of the gate," said Bea. "That's unusual for a Romulan." She and the Captain's wife snickered into their glasses.

"He was slow in starting, I'll grant you that," said Guinevere with a twinkle in her eye, "But once he got going it was like you said: nothing would stop him until he claimed me. He's been the same way in all other matters ever since. It is his way."

"Slow and steady wins the race!" Bea exclaimed. With that, all three of them were in stitches.

"I think it's time we switched to lemonade," said Guinevere, once she caught her breath. She clapped her hands and called for the servant. "François?"

Zoe and Isabell immediately stood up, just as François came up behind them.

"Ah, my dear cousins," Guinevere greeted them. "Do sit down. There's some wine left if you want it."

The girls grinned sheepishly as the joined the party. As far as they could tell, only the butler knew they had been eavesdropping. François winked at them when he set down the tray, letting them know their secret was safe with him. They breathed a tiny sigh of relief.

"Makes me almost wish I had married a Romulan," the Captain's wife mused, "But no. No Romulan could ever take the place of my Torrel."

After about half an hour, the girls politely made their excuses and started back to the castle.

"So what do you think?" asked Isabelle. "Do you think those two Romulans have 'set their sights' on us?"

"Hmmm," Zoe considered, "Wouldn't it be romantic if they did? Perhaps Cousin Tristan is right."

"Do you still love him?" her sister asked after a moment.

Zoe thought about it. "Maybe I was only attracted to him." She paused. "It _was_ rather cute the way Lentak busted down the door to propose to me..."

"Yes," Isabelle agreed, remembering Bretant's proposal to her on the balcony. "It must be those irresistible pointed ears. They are so drawing..."

"Listen to us!" Zoe stomped her foot, "We're not actually falling for those louts, are we?"

"Not unless they can prove Prince Tristan's claims that they aren't louts," Isabelle insisted. "If...they can show that they are as romantic as their father."

"I agree," said Zoe. "You know, I'm beginning to see why Lady Guinevere did what she did. I don't blame her for following her heart anymore."

"Let us hope we are as fortunate as she."

The girls made their way down the hallway, whispering and giggling. Little did they know, a couple of pairs of pointed ears were drawing in every word that was being spoken.

OoOoOoOoOo

Letant and Bochra's shuttle had scarcely landed before the boys were practically tearing off the door.

"Dad! We need your help!"

Letant blinked. "What is this nonsense? What mischief have you gotten yourselves into now?"

"It's not mischief, Dad..." Bretant began.

"We're...in love," Lentak explained.

Their father stared at them for several seconds, trying to ascertain whether or not they were serious. At last he saw that they were indeed in earnest. "With the same woman?" Nothing was beyond them.

"Of course not!" they insisted.

"Then what do you need my help for? Go talk to the girls." He started past them.

"We don't know what to say," said Bretant, "Bianca suggested a bunch of sissy stuff—"

"And there's no way we're gonna say any of that to a girl!" Lentak interrupted.

Letant stopped. "Then I fail to see what I have to do with any of this. Perhaps you should listen to your sister."

"It's just...Bianca is only half human, and well, you knew how to win mom over..."

"Yeah, we don't know anything about human females," Bretant confessed.

Letant was about to say something about human females being more trouble than they were worth, but then decided against it when he realized it wasn't true. Before he could impart his words of wisdom, however, he heard Bochra chuckle sarcastically behind him.

"_My_ son doesn't have problems talking to women," the retired officer remarked as he walked off to attend to his affairs.

"Obviously!" he shot back. As his sons needed him at that particular moment, he chose to leave it at that for the time being. He was finally beginning to see that his own feelings and grudges simply had to come second. From that instant forward, he vowed that his family would come first in all matters.

_I suppose that's one thing I have in common with that upstart lowlife_, Letant admitted to himself while he watched Bochra head


	13. Devious Girls

Lady Guinevere and Bea were sitting down to tea when they heard that Bochra and Letant had arrived. Both women immediately stopped what they were doing to welcome their husbands, who on the whole appeared to be looking quite content with themselves.

"Well? What happened?" Bea asked anxiously.  
Letant took her in his arms and kissed her soundly before proudly exclaiming: "You are looking at a retired Senator my wife."

"Thanks to Vreenak" Bochra added. Letant narrowed his eyes at him and then cleared his throat. "Yes well, that kali-fal drinking lizard had to be good for something."

"I'm glad you agree because he and his family will be arriving shortly; I have invited them to stay with us." Bochra said with a smirk on his face.  
"Invite Koval while you're at it too." Letant encouraged. "Your son has already had his way with my daughter, nothing else you do will phase me."

"Well, he and Comfort and their kids are due to arrive in a few days." Bea added. Guinevere nodded. "For the wedding."

Letant rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'm tired, where's this guest room you've prepared for me Bochra? It's the least you can do." Letant said as he started removing his outer robe.

"Come, I'll personally show you." Bochra said as he led the way.  
Letant looked over at Bea with desire and grabbed her hand, pulling her away from Guinevere.

"You can have her back in two hours." He said as he practically dragged his wife along. Guinevere stood there watching in awe and then broke out laughing. "Well! At least things won't be boring around here for them."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Tristan and Bianca were hiding out from the world in a nice secluded area Tristan had claimed as his own many years back. Quickly Bianca was able to see that it was basically a recreation of the botanical garden with the view of the lake in Rateg where they had played as children during the Koval/Comfort and Vreenak/Jan oh and of course Rosemary/Kutunah wedding all those years ago. He had set up a nice sizable hammock and that's where they were currently lying down as the evening breeze hit their bodies.

Tristan looked deep into Bianca's eyes before gently kissing her. He sighed loudly and smiled at her. "I still can't believe we're married, and you're here with me." He whispered happily. "You've no idea how many times I fantasized about us being here like this. It seemed so… so out of reach back then."

Bianca blinked with surprise. "Did you really? Tristan, I had no idea that your feelings were so in depth. Sure there were times where I knew that you liked me, but I didn't think you'd ever take me seriously since you were bound for better things being of royal blood and all."

Tristan continued to look deep into her eyes, it was so easy to get lost in them. "How could you possibly not see that I loved you Bianca? All I ever did was think about you, wonder what you'd be doing. I mean, think about it. We always kept in constant contact. Granted we didn't see each other as often as I would have liked. My dad saw to that! But, did you really think that I would just accept not being able to hear from you, and altogether stop seeing you to marry someone that I hardly even liked?"

She narrowed her eyes with a smirk on her face. "You did a very good job of hiding your interest in me your highness. There were times where you treated me as if I were just one of the guys or something. That's why you made it so hard to determine what exactly it was that I meant to you."

"Well you kinda are." He admitted. "It's always been that way between us since we met, and that's what I've come to love about you that even though we've gotten older, that aspect about us has never changed." He then wrapped his arms around her and cuddled up closer. "Have you decided where you want to go for our honeymoon my lovely Bianca?"

She blinked in thought. "That's a good question Tristan, I didn't really think about it since we just got back from our own little adventure."

He smirked at her and whispered: "I have a good idea of where we could go."

Bianca giggled in turn and quickly leaned forward to kiss him. "Don't say Paris." She giggled as she pulled back.

"But?! Hey! What's wrong with Paris?" He said slightly disappointed.

"Nothing at all, I was just teasing."

He lifted a brow. "But you don't wanna go there do you?" He continued.

Bianca shrugged. "It doesn't matter where we go Tristan. All that matters is that we're together."

He sighed and hugged her tighter to him. "I couldn't agree more." He said before he kissed her.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"What do you mean they left planet?"

Princess Zoe asked incredulously to the man who was guarding the shuttle docking station. "Yes your highness. They left about four hours ago and didn't mention as to whether they'd be returning or not." The guard replied.

"But they have to return, they wouldn't miss their sister's wedding celebration." Isabell tried to reassure her sister.

"Yeah ok but… I just can't believe they actually left I mean…. I thought Romulan men were persistent just like Lady Guinevere and Bea were saying earlier." Zoe said in total confusion.

Isabell sighed. "But we sort of went out of our way to reject them, maybe we hurt their feelings a lot more than we have imagined and truly think us indifferent to them."

Zoe shrugged. "You might be right, maybe we went a little too far, but I still think that they gave up too easily. I mean… They didn't even tell us that they were leaving!"

Isabell cleared her throat. "They did actually, something about acquiring land for Tristan or something."

Zoe looked up at her and smirked. "They want to acquire land do they?" She lifted a brow at her sister. "I think I just came up with an idea."

Isabell giggled. "Zoe you're so bad! I can already imagine!"

OoOoOoooOoO

Lentak and Bretant were wearing their best business attire as they met with Keeval, the finest real estate agent in all of Retag. It also didn't hurt that he and their father were of a rather close acquaintance and held him in high regard.

"So, bottom line." Bretant said as he broke into his all-business mode. "What do we need to do to acquire the botanical garden property in downtown?"

Keeval's eyes widened considerably as he looked at the identical twins and realized they meant business. "I'm afraid you can't do much boys. That's government property and nobody can touch that, especially since it's not for sale, why those gardens have been there for as long as I can remember. Who in the world would want to buy it?"

"We have a client who's willing to pay a substantial amount of credits for it." Lentak replied. "And that would also include a generous commission for yourself for having given us a hand." Bretant said as he sipped his water.

Keeval held their eyes without saying anything for a long moment before he turned to his computer.

"Let me just double check the records here to see who is the person of contact with regards to this particular plot of land, but don't get your hopes up boys, I have a feeling that the only way you'll get this land is by trying to convince Praetor Neral himself."

A few moments later Keeval's jaw practically dropped on the floor.

"What? What is it?" Lentak inquired.

"Well I'll be a Vulcan's uncle. The botanical gardens are no longer under government jurisdiction…. Hold on a second, let me load the information." Bretant and Lentak looked at each other curiously before Keeval continued. "I don't believe this! Do you know if your client might have sought another real estate agent without you knowing?"

Lentak and Bretant both shook their heads. "Our client is in the process of getting married, I seriously doubt he's had the time to shop around and meet with other people regarding this matter."

Keeval sighed as he shook his head. "I hate to tell you boys but someone has actually purchased the botanical gardens, and if I'm reading this right, it was done 2 days ago."

Both Lentak and Bretant frowned and immediately asked at the same time: "WHO?!"

Keeval continued to look at his screen as he read the names aloud. "Princess Zoe and Isabell of Nua Breizh."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"You've _got_ to be joking!"

The elder Romulan looked at Lentak as though he had grown another head, and the shook his own. "I assure you, I'm quite serious. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to."

After he was gone, the brothers sat in silence for a while.

"I had no idea those two were capable of such...deviousness."

"Yeah," Bretant agreed, "Dad was right about human females—never underestimate them."

"You know what this means, right?"

Bretant nodded. "Now we _have_ to marry them, no matter what it takes."

"Know what else it means?"

"We're going to have to do what Bianca said!" he groaned, "And we're going to have to read Jane Austen!"

But then Lentak's face lightened. "The good news is, I'm pretty sure Bianca's books are still in her bedroom at home. We can swing by there and read them on the way back."

"Eh..." Bretant scratched behind one of his pointy ears, "Let's get those collector comic book covers while we're there, too."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Zoe and Isabel giggled hysterically, dropping objects left and right as they were getting ready for the celebration. All the while, they had jazzy music playing in order to get into a festive mood.

Isabel picked the curling iron back up and went back to styling Zoe's hair. "They didn't see that one coming!"

"No, I'm certain they didn't. Now we will wait and see what they do," she winked. "There! We're done. They'll be blown away by our elegance. We look like queens, if I do say so myself."

Then Isabel grew thoughtful, and turned the music down. "You realize we might have just opened up a can of worms? I mean, what Tristan and Bianca's mothers said was romantic, but it's a little scary at the same time."

"I think this is right. I can feel it," said Zoe. Her eyes were sparkling with delight. "Think about it, this is the first time in our stifling life that we've ever done to take charge of our destinies. We've had a taste of freedom, and I for one don't want to let it go."

"Nor do I. But what do you think Papa will say?"

"I think Tristan is right—it's up to Bretant and Lentak to convince him."

There was a knock at the door.

"We're coming, Enora," they called, believing their visitor was the maid. But it wasn't. Henri Loiola walked into the room.

"Papa!" The girls rushed into his arms.

"I just heard a wicked rumor," he said, possessively kissing his daughters. "I was told that a couple of Romulan imps are trying to marry you. What is it with those aliens coming to Nua Breizh to take our women?"

"Now, Papa," said Isabel with a smile, "You know very well that Lady Guinevere is the only woman on our world to marry a Romulan."

"And she's paved the way for others to follow her shameful example," he grumbled. "I would have allowed Prince Tristan for your sake, but those two fools—what is that noise?" He examined the music playlist.

"It was a gift from Prince Tristan for my birthday this past year," Zoe explained sweetly. "It's music from Earth's jazz era."

Henri shook his head. "I might have known. It's the music you kids listen to these days," he lectured, and took another gander at the playlist. "Ella Fitzgerald, Vic Fontaine—don't think I haven't heard the words to 'Minnie the Moocher'!"

Once again, Isabel calmed him down. "Papa," she laughed, "That song is centuries old. It was popular long before our people even left Earth."

"It's no wonder they left," he groaned.

There was another knock at the door. This time, it really was Enora. "Excuse me, Princesses, but it's almost time for you to go to the celebration."

"I'll see you there, my beautiful daughters." With that, he kissed them again. "I'm sorry. I know you both have enough sense not to pay any attention to those two louts. If they give you any more trouble, you tell me, and your Papa will take care of them."

"I doubt they'll be a problem, Papa," Zoe said with a confident smile.

"Hmm," he said, "We'll see about that."

The girls breathed a sigh of relief after the door closed.

"That was close!" whispered Isabel.

"Do you think someone really told him that, or is he just being his usual paranoid self?"

Isabel shook her head. "Difficult to say. I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

OoOoOoOoO

Bretant and Lentak took a peak behind the blue velvet curtains into the great hall. They were both fidgeting with their collars.

"Stop squirming," Letant scolded them, "It's not your wedding celebration. Remember: show these females that you are serious, and don't take no for an answer. If you are persistent, they will eventually come around and see things your way."

"Ladies and Lords!" called the announcer, "Henri Loiola, High Lord of Nua Breizh!"

A man of shorter than average height, with flowing blond hair and blue eyes, strolled into the grand chamber. All the while, the people bowed until he took his seat at the head table, next to Guinevere and Bochra. Zoe and Isabel followed their father with their own pomp and circumstance.

"_That_ would be their dad," Tristan whispered to the boys with a smirk.

Lentak and Bretant gulped.

"He's a midget," Letant interjected, "and a human. Don't let him intimidate you. If you win the girls' affections, then he will have no choice but to accept you. Trust me, I know." He shot a meaningful look in Tristan's direction.

The prince bowed in response. "_Merci, Beau-p__è__re_," he responded graciously, though with an air of triumph.

_Humph! No doubt where he gets his arrogance_, Letant thought.

"Hear me, my people, and honored guests," Lord Henri proclaimed, "I stand before you today to give my blessing to the marriage of my young cousin, Tristan to Lady Bianca." He took a slow, deliberate breath. "Though they have stood before an off-worlder, we have decided to recognized their union nonetheless."

The Bajoran captain shifted in his seat, but otherwise made no noise.

"Indeed? How very considerate of you. Old windbag..." Letant mumbled under his breath.

Tristan coughed softly to keep from laughing. "I agree with you," he whispered.

Lord Henri raised his hands. "Let the festivities begin!"


	14. The Wedding Reception

Omag's sharp little tooth gleamed in the light of the reflection from his mirror. He turned around and did various poses before winking at his own reflection. "You look amazing you handsome devil! Bianca is going to regret the day she chose that foolish Romulan over me!"

There was a knock on his door and Slugina came in. "Maggy, we're late! They've already started the ceremony!"

"What?! They started without me? This is outrageous!" Omag grumbled but then stopped dead in his tracks when he looked at Slugina wearing a silky pink dress. She smiled and twirled. "You like it? Father bought it for me in Zau Fanir."

"You look… Amazing!" Omag replied as a bit of drool began to pool on the side of his mouth.

She giggled and grabbed his hand as she led him out. "Come on! Let's hurry!"

By the time they got there, all the royal announcements and official rubbish had ended. Bianca and Tristan were now seated separately in a small, finely decorated table composed of a silk white table cloth, a beautiful vase of different ivory flowers with one lone blue rose in the center.  
Apparently they were going to begin the feast because various men dressed in white cooks uniform began to carry out silver trays filled with a vast array of different foods. They removed the lids and it was a sight like none other.  
Entire roast pork, Prime rib, Roast leg of lamb, various small birds-they looked like Cornish hens. There were also lots of vegetables, dips, breads, pastries, pies, sauces, so much that Omag's jaw almost hit the floor at the scene before him, and the best part of all of course was the fact that it was buffet style. It's as if he had died and gone to hog heaven. He rubbed his small grubby hands together and licked his lips.

"Sligina, I think we arrived just in time."

Tristan and Bianca were amongst the first to eat so they were also the first to stand up (With Tristan's help due to the dress) and dance the first dance. Her dress was exquisite. Sleeveless, Ivory in color and it hugged her waist and hips magnificently but then fanned open around her knees. The dress was covered in rhinestones so that whenever she moved it was like a sea of glimmer. Tristan had been completely stunned when she had been announced along with her Father and Mother. Every time he thought that she could not be any more beautiful, she would always surprise him with looking even more ravishing than the time before. He wanted to hurry up and do a couple of dances so that they could sneak away from the crowd and enjoy some much desired alone time.

Bianca placed her hands and Tristan's shoulders and just stared into his beautiful eyes. Every now and then he'd say something that would make her laugh, especially when Omag was working on his fourth visit to the buffet.  
Zoe watched them as if hypnotized and wondered if she would ever find anything like that. Would that kind of happiness really ever be available to her? It was irony at its finest. Here she was a princess who could have anything she wanted, but the one thing she wanted most of all could not be attained with money, or power. She looked around and tried to find Lentak with no avail, she was becoming worried when she had scanned the entire room and had not seen him, and then suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder and the object of her thoughts was standing before her with his hand extending and offering her to dance. She gave him a coy smile and rose out of her seat. "You may have the pleasure of dancing with me Mr. Lentak."

Isabell was also seeking out Bretant, but unlike his brother who timed his moment perfectly, he was over with Omag making fun of all the items that were stacked on to his plate. Isabell decided to take matters into her own hands and marched over to him and placed her hands on her hips as she looked at him.

"Well? Aren't you going to ask me to dance?" She asked as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"My dear, of course!" He said as he turned away from the fat Ferengi and immediately took Isabell's hand in his.

Bea and Letant joined the couples slow dancing on the dance floor. He looked at his beautiful wife and felt his chest swell with pride. Here she was, 27 years later and she still looked as beautiful as the day they had met. Their beautiful daughter was now a Princess, and despite his initial reluctance towards the arrangement, he knew that Bianca would be well taken care of. That boy had always been in love with her, and like a true Romulan he had never let go of her. All they needed to do now was get crackin on making him a grandfather and all would be well in the world.

Guinevere motioned to the dance floor when she had caught Bochra's eye and he immediately stepped out of his chair and helped her out of her own. They hadn't even been dancing for an entire minute when Henry Liola himself cut in. "If you don't mind my good Sir, I'd like to dance with this fair madam"

He was just about to protest against it but Lady Guinevere winked at him. He nodded towards her and went back towards his seat. She had to lean down quite a bit considering his royal highness was so short to begin with, add to the fact she was wearing heels and the dancing in itself became quite uncomfortable.

"You know Henry." She began as they danced awkwardly. "Being with you like this makes me wish…"

His eyes sparkled as he suddenly looked up at her. "Yes? You wish what my Guinevere?"

She smiled. "Being with you like this makes me wish that I had had a brother. Yes, a baby brother would have been so nice, but then I have you."

"A brother…" He practically spat.. "Well!" He said as he suddenly pulled away from her. "Enough of that! I have other things to tend to!" He said and marched off the dance floor. Bochra was immediately there and they fell into a perfect stance as he twirled her about. "What was that all about? What did you say to him?"

She giggled mischievously. "The truth.

Bochra smiled adoringly at his wife. "How glad I am that you decided to have mercy on me and become my wife. I don't deserve you, my fair lady." He took her into his arms and led her back around the dance floor in an enchanting waltz.

"Of course you do!" She looked deeply into his eyes as they twirled around the room. "You're the only one who deserves me, my knight in shining armor."

When the dance was finished, Bianca whispered in Tristan's ear. "I have a surprise for you."

"At this point, I don't think anything can surprise me, _ma belle_ Bianca," he returned with a wink.

"We'll see about that." She took his arm, and they went over to the dance master.

Meanwhile, Lentak and Bretant were hovering around one of the buffet tables like a couple of mosquitoes. The first dance had been a simple enough follow the leader type of arrangement, but the reels and jigs that came after it weren't as easy. They each stepped on their partners' toes multiple times, and were too embarrassed ask for any more dances after that, not even the slower waltzes. As a result, they spent the next half hour staring at their desired brides across the room, all the while munching on the food and saying absolutely nothing.

"You're acting like a couple of dweebs," Letant hissed, "Go dance with them again."

"We don't know these dances," Bretant complained.

"Nonsense! As many hours as you spent playing Cinderella at the ball with Bianca and Tristan when you were children? You should be experts."

"Those were sissy Jane Austen dances," Lentak countered.

"Yeah," his brother agreed, "We only played with them because Omag had Ferengi Finance summer school, and we were bored."

Letant finally lost his patience, and palmed his forehead. "It's all my fault my sons are worthless! Fine! Stay here and graze like mindless cattle! I'm through spoon feeding the two of you!" With that, he stormed off.

"You know," said Bretant, "I think he's right."

"But what are we going to do? These aren't Jane Austen dances, this is Riverdance kind of stuff. We're going to look stupid if we try it again."

Bretant's heart sank further still. "We already look stupid," he moped.

But the solution to their dilemma didn't elude them for long. In her romantic reminiscences with her new husband, Bianca unwittingly rescued her triplet brothers. She and Tristan whispered their request to the dance master, who responded with a knowing smile.

Soon afterwards, the dance master cleared his throat, and announced, "'Mr. Beveridge's Maggot!'"

The boys' jaws dropped.

"That's the one..." Lentak trailed off.

"We used to make fun of," Bretant finished for him.

Despite Bianca's adamant insistence that the word "maggot" meant something else entirely in this case, her brothers couldn't resist teasing her. They were on the name like white on rice, and within five minutes of hearing it, they created this elaborate "back story" in which Mr. Beveridge had a pet maggot that laid eggs in his body, which hatched and eventually ate him to death. Even Tristan, being a boy himself, couldn't help being amused by it. The brothers' gory tale, though told primarily to gross out their sister, served to fix every step of the dance in their memories.

_You don't have time to be timid!_ their father's voice rang in their minds, _You must be bold, daring!_

"Bold, daring," Bretant repeated aloud as he caught sight of Isabel once more. She truly looked stunning for the celebration. Half of her hair was twisted into an elegant bun at the back of her head, while the rest of her golden locks cascaded down her green brocade gown.

Bretant gulped, though his confidence began to rise. "I know this dance. I'll just walk up to her, and say...Hi."

Isabel blushed. "You already said hello to me this evening."

"Er, yes. Well, you look very," he searched for a word, "nice."

"Thank you," she said with an expectant look.

_Here it goes again... _"Would you, would you," he stuttered. What if she hadn't forgiven him for stepping on her dress? His acute pointed ears had caught a few words while the girls were whispering earlier, something that sounded like "toe cruncher" before they had burst into giggles.

_Get it out, man!_ his father's voice demanded.

"...care to, to-"

"I'd love to," she said quickly.

Lentak, on the other hand, was less awkward in his own request, but the response he wanted didn't come as easily.

"Princess Zoe," he greeted her with a bow, in his best imitation of Tristan. If it worked for his brother-in-law, surely it would work for him, too?

Zoe was in the middle of scanning the room for a potential partner. When Lentak suddenly appeared again next to her, she smiled. She had wanted to give him another chance, but hadn't expected he would ask her again. His recovery impressed her.

"I haven't yet told you that you look radiant this evening," he began.

She smiled sweetly, encouraging him on with her eyes, and swishing around her burgundy dress.

"I have to say, you Nua Breizhians sure know how to throw a party."

"Yes," she answered impatiently. _And?_

"You have a nice planet."

"I've always thought so," she agreed, tapping her foot. The couples were already lining up for the dance. Soon, it would be too late to dance.

But her remark distracted him from his original objective. "Then why did you buy the park on Romulus-"

"Mr. Lentak," she interrupted, holding her head high. "I intend to do this dance, as it is my favorite." Her sapphire eyes were flashing. "So unless you intend to stand up with me, I suggest you move aside and allow another gentleman the opportunity."

Lentak boldly straightened his back. "That is precisely why I came over here, Your Highness." He held out his hand, and she took it with no small amount of satisfaction.

When they joined the other couples in the set, Omag and Slugina were already there.

"Oh! Are you jokers finally coming back to the dance floor?" He turned to Slugina. "They're awful dancers. Watch, this is gonna be funny. Just don't get angry when they mess us all up." He thought he was whispering, but everyone in the line heard what he said clear as a bell. It was painfully obvious that there was more than merely Slug-O-Cola in his glass.

The gentlemen bowed to their partners while the orchestra played the introduction, and soon the dance commenced. Bretant and Lentak proved to be the best dancers there. When they did the dos-á-dos, Bretant stifled a snicker as he remembered the part in their story about the flies buzzing around Mr. Beveridge. He wisely kept that part to himself, however, and disguised his laugh by coughing.

Their only rivals were Tristan and Bianca, who knew the dance as well as they did. The dance brought back fond memories, and made them feel like they were kids falling in love all over again. Omag, on the other hand, turned out to be a veritable "Mr. Collins," since he had always been at Ferengi summer school when the children acted out the dancing games. His "Rum and Slug-O-Cola" certainly didn't help him, either.

"Whoooaaa!" he shouted. Slugina had whirled him around a little too fast for his feet to keep up. The momentum sent him orbiting out of the set, and straight into one of the buffet tables. Dishes and food went flying everywhere. The waiters rushed around, trying to smooth things over and get back control of the situation.

"Maggy-poo!" Slugina threw her hands up in distress.

"I'm alright," Omag slurred, just before he collapsed back into a large apple pie.

The other dancers, however, were all too much under love's enchanting spell to notice the disruption.

Zoe locked her eyes with Lentak as they took hands and repeated the once around. "I didn't expect such impressive terpsichore, Mr. Lentak. I'm impressed."

He had never heard that word before, but he wasn't going to tell her that. "What? A brilliant girl like you hasn't seen _Pride and Prejudice_?" he said with mock surprise, as though he had watched the film of his own free will.

"Of course I have," she said with a flirtatious simper, "I just didn't expect that you would have. I like a man who can dance."

Now that he had redeemed himself, Lentak in true Romulan fashion wasted no time pressing his advantage. "Then, perhaps I can persuade you to reconsider my earlier offer?"

Zoe giggled, "Perhaps."


	15. Fat Ferengi Wedding

**Lorna and I send our sincerest salutations :-) Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Bianca all but barged into her and Tristan's shared bedroom in a huff. "You let me oversleep! You should have woken me up!" She said as she immediately made her way to their enormous walk in closet to pick out the dress she had purchased for that evening.

Tristan was facing the mirror and fixing his bow tie with a smirk on his face. She looked so lovely when she slept on the hammock that he didn't dare wake her.  
"If you had only seen how beautiful you looked.." He began.

"But I told you to wake me Tristan." She said as she peeped her head out the doorway. "Now we're going to be late for Omag and Slugina's wedding!"

"Is that really such a big faux paus?" He asked in a bored manner. "He's really rushing into this, they've only been dating for about 2 months; I don't think they're going to work out." Tristan said as he now looked at himself from head to toe in the mirror.

"Have you actually seen them together Tristan?" Bianca replied from the closet. "They would swallow each other whole if they could. They're inseparable."

"I still think he's in love with you." Tristan said with a hint of jealousy. "Its just an attempt to forget you."

"You pay too much mind to that. We both know that I only love you." She replied. "and in the end that's all that matters."

Tristan turned away from the mirror and quietly crept up to Bianca as she dug through a drawer trying to pick out what jewelry she was going to wear. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her tenderly before whispering: "_Mon Amour_"

All of the sudden there was a loud "CRASH!" and both jumped slightly. The crash was followed by sounds of men hollering and Tristan sighed as he closed his eyes. "Your brothers are here."

Without so much as even knocking, both Lentak and Bretant barged in through the door, bypassing Tristan who held his hands out in a welcoming gesture: "Sure, come on in." He mumbled sarcastically.

"SIS! You're late! We've been waiting for ten minutes already! Omag is about ready to have a cow and then eat it!" They said as they bee-lined into the closet.

"What does he care if I'm on time or not?" She said as she stepped into her shoes.

"Did you forget that you're one of the bridesmaids?"

She sighed. "Uhhh.. No, of course I didn't."

Bretant chuckled. "I knew she would forget, that's why she skipped the rehearsal dinner last night."

Bianca's blue eyes blazed with anger. "You need to shut your mouth Bretant, you don't even know!"

"But I do." Lentak chimed in musically. "Tristan put his manly, strong Princey arms around you and both of you lost track of time."

"That is... Precisely what happened." Tristan said nodding.

"Tristan!" Bianca warned.

"What? It's true, why lie?" He said smirking.

"So since you're obviously following in mom's footsteps sis, when am I going to be an Uncle?" Bretant asked as he casually threw himself on Tristan and Bianca's enormous bed. "I personally think you should out do her in children and double the amount her and dad had. 14 kids sounds like a good round number wouldn't you say Tristan?"

"Absolutely." Tristan replied which only caused both Bretant and Lentak to burst out laughing like a couple of hyena's.

"You guys are so immature I can't even believe it!" Bianca said in disbelief, both hands on her hips as she narrowed her eyes at them like she use to when they were kids. "Do Princess Zoe and Isabel know what kind of mess they're getting into?"

"They love it." Lentak replied. "They find us charming and irresistible." He said with a dashing smile similar to that of their fathers.

Bretant's communicator suddenly went off and when he answered it all that was heard was a slew of shouting. He cringed as he held the communicator away from his ear. "I think Omag is waiting on us."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Tristan and Bianca had constructed a house on the park in Rateg that was now legally their second home thanks to Princess Zoe and Isabel. Omag had practically begged and pleaded that they allow for his wedding to take place there and so the ceremony was held in one of the cottages within the park. Not only because of it's scenic beauty, but also because it meant he wouldn't have to spend a vast amount of credit's on a location for the big day. Tristan had not been too pleased about his request at first. He viewed the park as his and Bianca's alone, not to mention that he suspected that Omag never truly got over Bianca; he was fearful that there might be some hidden intent behind the sneaky fat Ferengi's request but luckily that had not been the case. At least three quarters of the room were filled with visiting Ferengi's. All of whom were howling and making quite a scene after the ceremony had ended.

The reception was nothing short of a feeding frenzy. Whatever credits Omag had saved on location had obviously gone towards the food because there were mountains of food everywhere you looked, and off to the right side of the room the wall was lined with nothing but slug-o-cola.

Bianca's other brothers were there but she particularly noticed how her younger brother Lavan and Janak- the daughter of Jan and Vreenak were walking around hand in hand. She smirked to herself as she watched them. "_So, they've finally made it official_." Everyone knew it would happen eventually, they had been inseparable since they were growing up together as babies and Janak had blossomed into such a beautiful young woman with her mothers' long brown hair and her father's steely grey eyes. She was the subject of much uproar already with regards to the single son's of Rateg's Senators who all wanted her as their wife.

After a while however, the sight of watching the Ferengi's chow down as well as listening to them make bodily noises got to be too much so Tristan and Bianca decided to call it a night. As they were heading out however, Omag came running up behind them. There was a gleam in his eye and his cravat was stained by the slug-o-cola he had been drinking. The flower that had been pinned onto his breast had completely wilted and he looked like a down right mess frankly but Bianca had never seen him look so happy.

"I just wanted to thank you both again for letting me and Slugina do this here." He smiled genuinely and extended his hand to both of them, but Tristan upon grasping his hand brought him closer to his person and gave him a hearty hug.

"Congratulations, and much happiness to you both!" Bianca said with a smile.

"Thanks, that means a lot." He said in all honesty to her. "Well, gotta get back to the party!" He said and he quickly ran back inside.

Tristan and Bianca looked at each other before laughing. "I think maybe they will be alright after all." Tristan said before taking her hand in his and walking towards the direction of their secret place. "Can you believe how far we've come?" she asked, tenderly squeezing his hand.

"I never would have imagined we'd get to be together," he agreed. "Most people don't get to marry the love of their life." Then he laughed again, "I don't think any other couples love each other as much as we do."

Bianca held him close, and playfully brushed her nose against his. "No, they don't."

Tristan inhaled her sweet scent. "Oh, my Bianca. You complete me."

"And you complete me. We're going to live happily ever after."

"I'll make sure of that," he promised as he scooped her up as he was anxious to get her back to their home.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Okay, I've got it!" Bretant loudly snapped his fingers. "We could elope!" They were sitting on the hood of their flitter, scheming as usual. Omag and Slugina had already left straight for their honeymoon, so the boys' original plan to give them a chivaree went out the window.

Lentak rubbed his chin. "You know, I think that's a great idea. Chicks can't resist stuff like that."

"But we'll go to separate places. I don't want you around to gum up the works."

"Thanks a lot, brother! I can tell how much you trust me."

Bretant laughed so hard that he started to snort. "About as much as you trust me! Where are you going, anyway?"

"As if I'm gonna tell you!"

"Alright, fine. Let's go get us some wimmens, then!"

OoOoOoOoOoO

Lentak made his way through the oak grove beside the lake to find Zoe. Meanwhile, he was practicing what he'd say to her. "Princess Zoe, let's get married. I can tell that you're not a girl to be trifled with...No, that sounds so dumb! Princess Zoe, I'm head over heels for you..."

When he finally spotted the princess, she was perfectly framed by the trees as she walked along the shore. The sight of her beautiful form took his breath away. He knew that he and his brother were clumsy idiots, but he hoped she wouldn't find out about that until _after_ they were married.

"Looking for clam shells?" He came up right behind her.

Zoe looked up, startled. "There are clam shells here? How I should like to find one."

"This lake is connected to the Apnex Sea by the river Rateg," he said, trying to sound like an informed person, "That makes the water brackish."

"Oh," her eyes grew wide, "Does that mean there are sharks, too?"

"Yeah, sometimes," he lied. "But don't worry, I'll protect you with my Romulan strength."

She rolled her eyes. "My hero."

His expression then softened. "I'd like to be your hero, if you'll give me the chance." He cleared his throat. "Princess Zoe, I can tell you're not a girl to be trifled with." Immediately after he said it, he wished he hadn't.

"That's right, I'm not," she said firmly, poking his chest. "Are you trying to trifle with me, Mr. Lentak?" She raised one of her delicately-arched brows in a way that made his heart flutter.

"Of course not! That's why I want to ask you something."

"Well?" She bent down to pick up a pink and purple shell. "How lovely!"

The sight of her lovely blonde tresses spilling over her shoulder was too much. "Run away with me, Zoe," he blurted out.

"_What?_"

"You heard me. Let's run away and get married. Then I'll make you the happiest woman in the galaxy, and we'll have ten kids, and-"

"Ten? What if I don't want ten kids?" She crossed her arms indignantly.

Lentak was at a loss for words. Didn't all women want ten kids? Maybe she wanted more? What if she didn't want kids? "We...we can have as many as you want," he said carefully.

Zoe smiled, "Good answer."

"Then you will marry me? And we'll have kids? I may not be a prince, but I can most certainly give you the life you're accustomed to. I'm a business partner with Omag, you know. That means I have my own fortune. What to you say, Princess?"

"I don't want to run away."

"You don't think that's romantic?"

Zoe shook her head. "That's what Tristan and your sister did. I want to be different. I want the dress, the church, the flowers, the formal reception—the whole nine yards."

"Um, okay then." He made the sweetest puppy dog face he could. "So that means you'll marry me, then? And we'll have kids, yes?"

"You have to do it right," she crossed her arms.

"Right? Oh, yeah, the ring." He scratched behind his pointy ear. "I was gonna get you one of those..."

She pouted. "I want to see it first. Otherwise, how do I know you won't break my heart?"

Lentak took her hand and got down on one knee. "I would never, _ever _break your heart, Zoe." And he meant it.

Her pretty blue eyes peered hopefully into his, searching for the truth. "You have to do it right," she repeated softly.

He got back to his feet. "I will do it right," he held his chin up proudly, and took a deep breath. "Will you join me for dinner tonight?"

She seemed uncertain as to how she should answer.

"Trust me," he said, placing her hand onto his chest so that she would feel how hard his heart was pounding.

"Alright, Lentak. I'll go to dinner with you." She pulled her hand out of his grasp. "I have to go now."

"I'll pick you up at 7." He watched her disappear around the bend. As soon as she was out of sight, he threw off his shirt and gleefully leaped into the lake. He howled as the freezing water enveloped his body. He had this one in the bag. The jeweler would be on his way home. Then he would take her out to dinner and formally propose to her. Yes, he would "do it right," just the way his lady wanted it.

Do it right. He almost sank like a rock when something else occurred to him. "Doing it right" also meant asking her father's permission. Henri Loiola would give that about as willingly as he would give away his planet.

"Crraaaaaaap!" he yelled. A passing jogger who hadn't noticed him in the lake almost tripped. He gave Lentak a puzzled look, but otherwise kept running.

He got out of the water and squished his way back home. But being the half-Romulan that he was, he was not deterred in the slightest. As soon as he got into his room, he called up his buddy Brenak. It was time to get some dirt on the ruling house of Nua Breizh.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"What is it with you Romulans coming to our planet and taking our women? Don't you have your own? What kind of people do you think we are, Orions who simply pawn off their females to whoever comes along?" Henri Loiola was seething. "_Non_!"

"I don't think that at all, sir." Lentak was almost shaking in his boots. It looked like the man was going to come across the desk and strangle him. For a guy who was on the short side, Loiola sure had a thundering deep voice. "You don't understand. I come from a wealthy, powerful, and respectable family. Why shouldn't I be allowed to marry your daughter? You let Tristan's father marry-"

"_I _didn't have a say in that, boy! Curse Bochra for setting that precedent! Get out, you pointy-eared hooligan!"

"Before I go, I just have one word for you," he said quickly.

Loiola gritted his teeth. "And just what is that?"

"Eulalie."

He blinked. "What...did you say?"

"You heard me: Eulalie." Lentak tried to sound confident as he spoke the strange word. "I know all about it." In truth, he hadn't a clue what it meant, as Brenak wouldn't tell him anymore, making some excuse about "secrets of the trade." Given that his friend's father was the former co-chairman of the Tal Shiar, Lentak thought it best to leave it at that.

Miraculously, the word had the desired effect, just as Brenak promised it would. Loiola slowly sat back down. "Who else knows about it?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"Only me," he held his chin high in the air, "But if you want to keep it that way, you'd better give me what I want."

"Okay, okay," he held his hands up defensively. "Just give me your word, Monsieur, that you will not speak of it to another living soul."

_Monsieur?_ Lentak liked the sound of that. This was more like it. "You have my word, Sire." With a bow, he was out the door to go sweep his lady off her feet.


End file.
